Evanescent Eternity
by SwallowSword
Summary: You never understood how truly and wholly you belonged to him until that moment. You were waiting for this all your life. Reader x Various Canon oneshots with different genres.
1. Gokudera

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.  
Rating: Anything ranging from K to T, depending on the genre and the language and content. For this one, I think it should be a T. In this fic, Gokudera has just turned 16.  
Genre: Angst

* * *

Gokudera

* * *

_How many times have I looked up for the clock and wished for the end of the day already? _You tap your pencil against the side of the table, the clicking sound echoing through the empty room. Outside, you could hear the sounds of people on the playground, incessant chattering drifting through one of the open windows.

_"Did you hear? Najikawa-san..."_

_"Oh my gosh! He's so hot! I can't believe..."_

_"Dude, I totally failed my science test today..."  
_  
_"Kyaah! I hope Gokudera-kun's my partner for the science practical this afternoo..."_

_"Shit! This library book is overdue 3 weeks! I better go return it..."_

It's unbearable. The sounds of happiness, laughter, everything. The sounds of human life. It's unbearable. You stand up quickly, reaching out and slamming the window shut, before sitting back at your desk and continuing to tap your pencil against the wooden desk. You start to scribble on the desk. With the teacher gone, and Hibari Kyoya patrolling the school corridors, you could act as you like, without abandon, without inhibition, without fear of getting caught. Glancing at the clock again, you realize that it's time...

Your hands automatically reach for the tote bag lying by the desk. Pulling it closer, you stick your hand deep into the bag and rummage through it, knocking aside your math notebook and your English textbook. Pulling out the plastic bag, you sighed as you looked at the innocent little pink pills. You'd began to abhor these pills after a while. It's ruining your life. It's making you stay away from your friends, making you lie to them. It's making you become a hateful person.

"_Ayame-chan, I'm not that good with the sun. I get tanned easily, and my mother hates it when I get tan, so I can't go out into the sun. It's alright, you guys go on and eat lunch outside! It's really sunny today!"_

_"Such a shame!" _

_"I know. But there's nothing I can do about it, is there? I'll just look at the sky in the classroom, I'll be fine." _That's what you always told them. It was partly true though, just an abridged version of the whole truth. You knew that a little more than suntan lotion was going to fix your condition.

And so there you sat. You absolutely had to take these pills three times a day, and so oftentimes you had to abscond from the classroom, be it lying to the teacher about going to the bathroom, or sneaking out the door when the teacher's head is turned. Nobody noticed anything, not even your closest friends, Ayame, Hana and Kyoko. They were often too engrossed in their own gossip to realize that you stepped outside to take a pill. They didn't call you out on your abstemious diet either, not when you told them you were trying to get slimmer. They accepted it innocently, thinking that it's a faze that you were going through. Sometimes, they even heaped accolades upon you, saying that you looked a lot thinner, and you had a striking body figure now that you were dieting.

Even so, you weren't willing to tell them anything. You knew you were being unfair in this matter, that they deserved to know all about you because you were friends, but it's not like anyone was going to find out anyway, and you'd rather they stay innocent for at least a few more months. For as long as you could hide it anyway. Maybe then they wouldn't get contaminated with your disgusting presence. Distance is good. Loneliness is good. It's not like you were going to stay friends forever anyway.

* * *

Gokudera coughed and glanced at his watch one more, ignoring Yamamoto, who was chattering on about the home run that he hit during the game he played last Saturday. If anything, he was worried about the Jyuudaime getting bored with the Yakyuu-baka's speech. Glancing up at the sky, the beautiful blue sky, Gokudera found that he couldn't be bothered to fight with the baseball fanatic at all today. He felt listless and sulky, but he tried not to show it. Not in front of his Jyuudaime. Not in front of the Tenth.

"...ght, Gokudera?"

"What do you want?" He replied rudely, making Yamamoto laugh and Tsuna let out a nervous chuckle. He went back to staring at the sky, trying to block out the noise of Yamamoto's laughing. It was unnerving, it was annoying. If anything, Gokudera should be shouting at him for being so insolent in front of the Tenth. Strangely, he found that he didn't even have the energy to do that.

"Tenth, I left a book back in the classroom, please may I go get it?" Gokudera suddenly blurted out, giving Tsuna a reassuring smile when the brunette cast him a worried look. Tsuna felt that something was wrong with his best friend, and it kept on nagging at him. Maybe it was his hyper intuition or something, but Tsuna knew that Gokudera wasn't acting like himself right now. As Gokudera's eyebrows knitted together, impatience flitting across his face fleetingly as he waited for Tsuna's answer, the horrible feeling brewing in Tsuna's gut was further accentuated.

_Today is 9th of September. It's Gokudera-kun's birthday...Oh right. It's also the anniversary of his mother's death. I wonder if we should ask him about it?_

As Gokudera's expression turned pleading, Tsuna knew he shouldn't pry. It was Gokudera's choice as to whether they would throw a party or not, and anyway, Tsuna was planning a surprise birthday party tonight for Gokudera. Beaming out a smile at his storm guardian, Tsuna nodded, trying not to look too surprised as Gokudera scrambled up immediately as if wanting to get away from him and Yamamoto as soon as possible. Tsuna supposed that if he was mourning today, then he would also want to be alone. He blinked quickly and cleared the expression from his face, plastering another happy smile onto his face.

"Ano, Gokudera-kun? Do you want to have a sleepover at my house tonight? It's friday, so..."

Gokudera's eyes shone with happiness. His heart ached painfully as he smiled widely. Why was he so afraid to tell Tsuna that it was the anniversary of his mother's death today? Maybe it was because he didn't want Tsuna to worry after him. Still, he agreed quickly, thinking that maybe that terrible gnawing feeling would fade before he would go to Tsuna's house.

"Of course, Jyuudaime! I'm honored to have been invited to Jyuudaime's house for a sleepover!" His smile was becoming strained. _Don't let him find out. Don't let him mourn for you. _He wanted this to be private, between him and himself only. He wanted to remember her, that woman with silvery locks and possibly also with emerald eyes. It saddened him that all that's left of his memories of her is her hair. He couldn't even remember her eyes properly, and so he just assumed that he inherited the green eyes from his mother. Somehow it suited her.

He pulled the door open to the classroom quickly, eyes scanning the room. He caught your gaze, your guilty look as you opened your mouth to swallow the little pink pill balanced on your forefinger.

* * *

"Please...don't tell anyone about this. I...I'm begging you!" You sounded so desperate, your voice a strained whisper. He eyed that little pill balanced on your forefinger, and then glared at you. Silence met your ears, deafening, roaring. Heat spread to your cheeks, your ears, reddening, marking the guilt that coiled in your heart. Someone had caught you. Someone had found out about the very secret you vowed not to tell anyone about. It was a promise that you made to yourself, and it was empty. Void. Meaningless. And yet...

You close your eyes, shame marking your face. _It's not what you think it is. _The piercing judgement hosted in his emerald orbs told you everything you needed to know. _Disgusting? _Ironic. You hated yourself, and yet you couldn't stop. Suddenly, his hand whipped out and smacked your hand. The pill tumbled onto the floor and he stepped on it, crunching the tiny pink object neatly. He lifted his shoe. Pink powder scattered on the floor like the disintegrated wings of a butterfly. Pressing a hand against your mouth, you sobbed lightly into your palm. _It's not what you think it is._

It was the first request you ever asked him. It was the first request you had ever asked of anyone. It was the first time he ever talked to you. He had stumbled upon your little secret when you'd been hiding from the world, staying in the classroom. You became afraid to meet his eyes.

_Addiction? Necessity? _When did you even start this slow spiral into depending on these little pink pills? 2 months ago? You couldn't stop. Should you tell him? Does he look like one to understand? _No. _You raise another hand. Shaking, trembling. Weakness. The pink pill was once again perched, and you tossed it into your mouth without another thought. It was bitter, like your guilt. Gokudera's eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe that you had the nerve to eat it when he's looking at you. His gaze turned into a disapproving glare and he turned around, wanting nothing more to do with you.

_Forget him._

You didn't want him, of all people, to find out about you. And so you had begged him, and he left you with your dirty secret, turning his back on you and never looking back. A part of you was relieved at his actions. You didn't need him to go around telling everyone that he saw you taking drugs or anything. But the other half...wished he would stay and talk. Maybe then he would understand.

_It's not what you think it is._

* * *

_"Jyuudaime, I'm sorry, I don't really feel well today."_

_"Ah, Gokudera-kun...are you okay? You look really down..."_

_"Hai! I'll be fine, Jyuudaime. I'm just...maybe I just caught a little cold."_

_"Are you sure?" _

_"Oi, Gokudera, doesn't that mean you can't come to the sleepover today?"_

_"I'M REALLY SORRY, JYUUDAIME! I HAVE FAI-"_

_"It's fine, Gokudera-kun. I just thought because it's your birthday, you'd want to celebrate..."_

_"It's alright, Jyuudaime." My birthday holds no significance to me anyway. But again, I'm honored that Jyuudaime would think of me so highly as to throw a party for me..._

_"O-okay. Maybe next time?"_

_"Yea! Next time I'll bring more sushi!"_

_"Tch. Who would want to eat your sushi, Yakyuu Baka!"_

_"Ahah! Mah, mah, Gokudera, my dad's sushi is the best in all of Japan!"_

_"Whatever." _

_"Ah..ah! Gokudera-kun, see you tomorrow! I hope you're feeling better tomorrow..."  
_  
_"Don't worry, Jyuudaime!"_

And so they parted ways, Gokudera strolling in the opposite direction from the Vongola Don and his Rain Guardian. He had something he needed to do anyway.

* * *

Gokudera ran his hands over the smooth keys of the grand piano. It was a splendid instrument, ivory keys glossy. The body of the piano itself is transparent, allowing the player to see the inner workings of such a beautiful instrument as he or she played. Gokudera imagined that he was the piano itself, his inner workings out on display for everyone to see. _Can I still play? _He swallowed his feelings, his grief, sorrow, relief. He'll express them through the piano again, the one thing he hasn't allowed himself to touch since he learned of his mother's death. Gokudera took a deep breath and slid onto the seat, his fingers steadying on the keys. He place them into the ever familiar position. _8 years ago, half of my life ago, and I've never forgotten what mother taught me. _He let his fingers drift over the keys, unwilling to press down just yet. He wondered; will the tempo still be the same? Will the keys still ring clear? _Can I still play?_

_Yes. _The music drifted through the store, crystal clear and ringing through the air. It was beautiful. Heads raised, eyes followed. Everyone watched the boy with silver hair and shining emerald eyes run his hands smoothly through the keys, pulling the most wondrous of melodies out of the transparent baby grand.

_Remembrance. Mother, this is the only way I can remember you by. _

Gokudera's eyes closed as he immersed himself in the melody, his hands pressing the familiar keys quickly. He would never forget. How could he have doubted himself even for that second? He could never forget. He imagined his mother's hands guiding him, her soft palms encasing his own small hands. It was as if he was three again, watching with wide eyes as she smiled down at him. With a jolt, he realized that he could see her face clearly once more, her well defined cheeks, her twinkling eyes and soft smile. _I miss you..._

But there was something missing to the tune. It was wondrous and beautiful, yes, but not complete. Gokudera couldn't put his finger on what, and even as he continued to play, he grew more and more frustrated. The notes began to get stuck into each other, overlapping and merging into something different. His frustration grew. _Can I still play? _A tap on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie. The music stopped. The whole room let out a soft, collective sigh of disappointment, almost as if waiting for Gokudera to take up his role as pianist once more. Gokudera whirled, half in shock, half in anger. Just when he was starting to remember...

You jerked back in shock as his smoldering eyes met yours. They were filled with such loneliness for that brief second, and then that flash of emotion was gone. "What. Do. You. Want." He ground out through gritted teeth. You grimaced back at him, and he glared at your hands, refusing to meet your eyes. What was it that prompted you to tap him on the shoulder again?

"_La ninnananna della madre?_" You found yourself asking, making Gokudera jump with the familiar words. It was true. Gokudera had been playing "_Mother's Lullaby_", his favorite piece out of all the ones that his mother had taught him. Gokudera stared down at his own hands, disappointment weighing him down. Why did he even try? He was the useless, unwanted son of a Mafia Don and his mistress. He was a nobody, a bastard, he daresay. An illegitimate child.

You clear your throat. "I...It's a duet, isn't it?"

And then you were moving him aside gently, placing your hands on the higher keys. Forever you would play the treble, accompanied by the deep base. As Gokudera hesitantly started to play once more, you started pressing the keys you had practiced for so long. Your recital had been scheduled for next winter, a time that would never come for you. You had been preparing for such a competition, diligently playing for hours on end every day, and then the doctor had told you that you weren't even going to live that long. Your heart had broken. The base you were supposed to be playing with had given up on you, leaving you to play a solo. Nevertheless, you still sat at the piano every day, playing your part over and over, much like a broken recorder, almost desperately salvaging the hope that you were going to be able to compete. But no. The doctor's word was certain, the base was gone, your song was never going to be finished.

_But now, it's complete. _

* * *

_"You have to make sure you take this medicine three times a day."_

_"Is it going to help me? Is it going to cure me?" Can I get better?_

_"...I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry to break this to you, but you are not going to get better. You have one year to live at the most. The medicine will help...it'll take away the pain. You'll be able to go on with life as usual for the next few months, but for the last three months..."_

_"What'll happen?"_

_He sighs, the softness of his breath stabbing painfully into your heart. After a mere 12 months, you would never be able sigh again. _

_"You'll be hospitalized. I'm sorry..." What are you sorry for? Haven't you already done all that you could? "This disease eats at the nerves. We've worked out that it sometimes strikes suddenly, or it could be gradual. It is predicted that after 9 months, you will need support to stay alive." I'm going to go into a coma? Be nothing more than a lump of meat and a thinking brain, forever tethered to the hospital bed? _

_"We did everything we could." You hear him mutter to your single father. That night, he brought you out to the bridge, and asked you whether you would want to commit suicide with him. Life was too cruel. He didn't have enough money to support your treatment. "Why?" You had asked him as he lifted you to balance you on the rails. One shove forward, and you would never open your eyes to see the sunrise of the next day. One pull backwards, and you would spend the rest of your short 12 month life wondering where you would be if you had jumped, and if you would end up in the same place after a year.  
_  
_"I want to stay. I want to live my life to the fullest." I want to finish playing my song, even though it would never be complete without an base balancing my high treble. Even if I have to finish it myself. _

_He strokes your cheek lovingly, the tender touch between a father and his dying daughter. A tear slides down his own leathery face, running along the wrinkles that were already showing despite his young age. He looked incredibly tired, incredibly sad, hopeless. Your face mirrors his, the liquid that you'd been trying to hold back running down your face. Even so, you lift your trembling hands and gently brush away the tears on your father's face. "Don't cry. You're the strongest person I know. If you cry, then what about me?"_

_"I don't know. I don't know. I just don't know. We don't have enough money to continue treatment..."_

_"I don't need to continue treatment. I've accepted it. Please, father. I want to continue to go to school, to see my friends. I want to continue living my life until the end." He nods, straining a smile through his tear stained face. He lets out a breath, and that's when you know that he's going to stay strong for you, pull through for you, all the way until the end. _

_The two of you leave the edge of the bridge and stroll home. You talk about the stars in the sky, and he stays silent, content to just listen to your voice. _

* * *

A few weeks has passed by. Gokudera never approached you again, never mentioned the scene with the duet and the lullaby. Your eyes followed him out of sheer curiosity, and yet you never talked to him again either. It's as if you were content to stay apart, and yet you were connected by a thin, invisible string. He was your base, and you were his treble, and together the two of you completed the song.

You thought it would stay this way, and you had gladly accepted the fact. Since that day in the shop, you hadn't touched your piano for fear that you would have to go back to playing the lonely higher half of the melody. You didn't want to ever hear the song incomplete again, and so you were happy to leave the song to play in your memory.

A tap on your shoulder made you turn. There stood Gokudera, still slouching, but his eyes didn't host the usual disgust that he displayed when he looked you in the eyes. "I owe you an explanation." He says, referring to the reason he could match you in the duet. You shake your head.

"No. _I _owe you an explanation."

* * *

_How did this happen? _The two of you were sitting in the classroom. The sky outside was once again painted a brilliant blue, dotted with pure white clouds. One of the windows were open, letting in the sounds of those chattering outside, sharing their lunch with their friends. This time, you made no move to close the window. You let the sounds run over you, basking in the friendly atmosphere that encompassed the school. Gokudera faced you, his eyes studying your face intently.

"I'll start?" You asked him, but he shakes his head. Taking a deep breath, you listen as he tells you the tale of an illegitimate child, one who never got to know his mother until after her death, one who had lovingly practiced the piano, one who had learnt '_Mother's Lullaby_' off by heart the first time his mother had played it for him. One who was lonely until Sawada found him. He arched his eyebrow when you didn't question how Tsuna had saved him from depression, simply nodding and smiling and gesturing for you to continue. He did, talking about how he had lived his life in Italy, carefully leaving out anything about the Mafia, simply implying that he had lived a rough life before sneaking on board a plane and coming all the way over to Japan. You didn't question him when he started speaking in rapid Italian as he got more and more animated in his storytelling, nor when he actually got up and started waving his arms around. You inserted some questions of your own, and giggled when he snapped at you to "Shut up and stop interrupting, woman." And the whole time, his eyes never left yours.

"So that's how you got here?" You ask him, eyeing his school bag. Gokudera slumps back onto his chair. "I guess." He replies roughly, running a hand through his hair as if tired of talking. You dipped your head and started your story.

You told him about the pain you had felt in your head suddenly that one Sunday morning, about how you dismissed it and was rushed to the hospital the next day because you had underestimated the disease. You told him about how the doctor had examined you all over, giving you x-rays and asking you if you had sustained any injuries to the head recently. You had replied no to everything, and the doctors became baffled about your situation. You had asked him if you were going to be cured, and the doctor had asked you to come back for the results of the examination next week.

As you got closer and closer to the doctor's words, tears unwillingly started falling from your eyes once more. It was unfair, that you had to gain this unknown, incurable disease, and that you had chose to live rather than throw yourself off the bridge that night, that you chose to hide this fact from your friends so that it wouldn't hurt for them when you finally leave. You raise your sleeve to wipe the tears away, and that's when you notice that his hands were already on your face, and that he was gently pushing the salty liquid away from your skin.

"I had no idea." He says, his voice soft. You nod. _It's okay. I don't want anyone to know. _He brushes your hair behind your ears gently, tilting your chin up. His expression contained shameless pity, understanding, sympathy. You nod again, and he pulls you into his embrace.

_He'll understand, because his mother had died because of a similar disease. He understands the loneliness that you have to go through and that you have yet to taste as you grow closer and closer to your time. _You cry into his chest, soaking his shirt wet. He doesn't move, his arms wrapped around you almost awkwardly. In that moment, Gokudera knows more about you than any other person on earth, even your father, who has never witnessed you cry. All those nights of heart-pounding fear, of hiding under the covers of your bed and contemplating what it'll be like to wake up the next morning unable to see, unable to hear, unable to breathe, all those emotions were released in a single moment as you cried into the arms of the boy you most admired in school.

* * *

Rumors spread fast in Namimori high. One set of loose lips and sly, prying eyes that had witnessed the event from the room across had caused the whole school to know that you had spent one lunchtime in Gokudera Hayato's arms. You became the target of many fangirls. Your stuff went missing, your lunch money stolen, your bag caught on an innocently placed nail and ripped open.

Gokudera chased them away for you, and that gave you the strength to come into school every day for the next 5 and a half months. He pulled you up to the rooftop everyday, sitting you down next to Tsuna. The two other boys that Gokudera talked to never questioned your presence and never interacted with you unless you spoke up. Once in a while, Yamamoto would pass over an extra box of sushi silently and you would accept it with hands shaking with gratitude.

Gokudera walks you home every day, but only after you've turned a roundabout loop to Sawada's house first. You understood that Tsuna was important to him from what you've remembered of his conversation, and because of that, you never questioned his choice for sticking with his Jyuudaime. Oftentimes, you would laugh with Sawada as Gokudera and Yamamoto engaged in a heated onesided argument, Gokudera's eyes always meeting yours for a secretive toss to the sky at Yamamoto's idiocy. You found that you could finally laugh properly after staying so distant from other people. Your mouth hurt with all the smiling you do everyday, and your father has managed to crack a laugh or two when you come home and chatter to him about what you've done in school, or about how Gokudera accidentally blew up the science lab yet again because the bunsen burner accidentally set fire to something that he had thrown across the room.

You found yourself talking more about the hotheaded bomber than ever, noticing his every move in school. Your eyes followed him constantly. He was your pillar of support, the only person that was there every single time you opened your locker to find that it was vandalized and your school notes were torn to shreds. He was the one you would call when you couldn't sleep at night, scared of what might happen to you the next day. And he'd softly play a lullaby for you, the notes staying clear even across the phone. You would gradually find yourself drifting into peaceful slumber, dreaming of his hands running over smooth notes like water smoothing out the rocks of a river bed. You would dream of the notes stringing together to make _mother's lullaby, _and you would dream about your tears and his arms wrapped around you securely.

You realized that you've acknowledged your feelings too late, that this year's Valentines day you hadn't thought of handing him a box of anything you've put your heart and soul into making. You realize that, and you panicked. You needed him to know, but your time was running out and any minute now you would kneel over and be unable to feel anything. You steel your heart and decide that tomorrow will be the day when you confess your feelings to him, whether he accepts it or not, whether he decides to follow through with it or not. A small voice in the back of your head informs you that _it doesn't matter if he accepts or rejects you anyway, because either way you're going to die. _

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the windows. You huddle under your bed and pull the covers over your head, until you remember what you've promised yourself that you would accomplish today. You sit up and touch your eyes, lips, ears, checking that you still had feeling in your touch, that you still had the ability to see him.

Pushing yourself upright, you get dressed, feeling the soft fabric rub against your smooth skin. You run your fingers along the cotton, mentally comparing it to the coolness of your cherished piano, crammed in the corner of the dining room with the dining table. As you finally finish preparing to head out to school, you remember the bento box that you've so painstakingly prepared for him last night. You tuck it under your arm, not trusting it to stay in your bag if you leave it there. Today, out of all days, you will not lose this object to Gokudera's jealous fangirls.

You practically run to school, one hand against your thumping heart. If it stops now, if you topple over now, you know you would never forgive yourself. You give a quick bow to the Disciplinary Committee members patrolling the school gate, and you run past them and into the school.

"Gokudera-kun!" You yell for him, knowing that he should've already arrived at the school with Tsuna. Sure enough, his familiar silvery head pokes out of the second floor windows, his eyes blinking with confusion as he took in the desperate look plastered on your face. He was down in an instant, pulling you back behind a tree and into the shade.

"What do you need?" He questioned. Ever since you told him about yourself, he has never raised his voice against you.

"Can we go for a walk after school today? I want to give you something." He nods quickly, an annoyed expression flitting across his face. "You shouted at me just for that? Tch. Troublesome woman!" You knew that he wasn't really angry at you, so you giggled and patted his arm gently. He sent you a lopsided grin and led you back up to the classroom.

* * *

_"Gokudera-kun?"_

_"Jyuudaime? Do you need me for something?" _

_"Ano...I just wanted to ask you, do you like her?" _

_He knew what the Tenth was talking about, and his face instantly flushed red. Did he? Yamamoto's smirk wasn't helping his situation in any way. "I..I.." Gokudera rarely stuttered, but at Tsuna's question, he found himself unable to speak. Did he?_

_"Ahah! Gokudera, just admit it!"_

_"I don't really. She's not really my type." He grumbled, quickly evading the largely unanswered question by launching insults at Yamamoto. He knew better than they did that it wasn't the fact that you weren't his type or that he wasn't going for you. He knew the barriers stopping the two of you better than anyone. _

_**I don't really. **__But he does. And because of that, he stays up late every night, waiting for the calls that were sure to come from you, flicking through medical magazines instead of science fiction magazines in hope of glimpsing a cure that might save you. And finally, as he caught sight of the annoying little cow child hanging of Tsuna's leg one day, Gokudera got his answer. He knew how to cure you. _

* * *

The bell rang for the end of the day, and Gokudera grumbles an excuse to Tsuna about how he had to hang out with you for the rest of the day, making sure to slip in a lot of offending words. You feign anger, but inside you knew that he didn't really mean it. As you exit the school gates with him by your side, you nervously clutch the box in your arms. Gokudera's questioning gaze followed your fidgeting, but you purposefully turned away from him. He huffed playfully and makes a grab for the box. You squeal and run down the road, Gokudera following closely behind. He was always two steps behind you. You knew that he could've caught up easily, but instead he was choosing to humor you, keeping pace behind you and content to let you dart ahead of him.

You laugh into the wind, the sound of your giggles blowing back towards Gokudera. He smirks at you, and you turn to look at him. That's when you feel it, a sudden stab in your heart. You stumble to a halt, Gokudera crashing into you. "What's wrong?" He asks, his hand on your arm, steadying you. You smile up at him weakly, and he doesn't notice the hand you're pressing to your chest tightly. "Sorry. I just wanted to stop here."

"Tch. Why here of all places?"

The two of you were standing on a bridge, overlooking a fast flowing river. It was the same place your father had taken you. You hold onto the railing, leaning over and observing the current below you. Gokudera unconsciously grabbed your sleeve as you leaned slightly too far forward, making sure that you didn't fall over unwillingly and to your death. "Gokudera-kun.." You began, jumping back so that your feet were on solid ground once more. You realize just then that your knees had been shaking when you'd stepped towards the edge. Was it through nervousness of what you had to do now? Or was it because you were scared to meet your death, scared to face the end? Looking down onto the reflection in the river, you had been reminded of implications of such a place, the meaning behind this area, the sadness in your father's eyes.

_Why here, of all places? Why? _

"What did you want to show me? Hurry up, woman. I hate making Jyuudaime wait."

You ease out your fingers, passing over the simple black box. Gokudera takes it without a comment, running his hands along the spine of the box as if he was testing out the keys of a piano. "This?"

"Yea. I made it for you. I hope you li-"

It happened without a warning. You hadn't even finished your sentence. His arms were wrapped around your waist, his lips were on yours. He gently tasted you, kneading your mouth open slowly, as if asking for permission. You let out a small, sharp gasp as his hands brushed against a particularly sensitive spot on your side. Taking this opportunity, Gokudera deepened the kiss, hesitantly pushing his tongue into your mouth. You were both inexperienced, and so he was content to take it slow, making sure that you were enjoying this. The bento box is still held in his hand, and with that, you knew he understood you. Understood your feelings. Understood your hopes, your dreams. You wonder if he waits for you to call him every night. He must've understood your fears too.

Your hands were the first to go. They had been tangled in Gokudera's hair just a moment before, and now they were hanging limply by your sides. Your eyes snapped open, flickering, panicky. The sound of your heart beating echoed in your mind, bouncing off the walls of your skull. You couldn't hear him anymore, couldn't feel his breath fanning across your face as he pulled back slightly, wondering what exactly is wrong with you.

_No! No...not now...not when I've just..._

Your legs were the last to go. As they crumpled, you tilted your head up, your vision tunneling and fading. The last things you saw were his hands, his strong arms, coming up to wrap around you, the surprise in his expression as he staggered to keep you upright. The bento box fell to the floor, silence reaching your ears as all the feelings you hosted inside you were spilled onto the concrete, nothing more than grains of rice and the occasional, delicately carved slices of meat. Gokudera's face drew closer to you, his lips were moving, he was screaming in your ear, asking you what's wrong, holding you closer. Your eyelids flicker shut, and you slide out of his hold and onto the floor, your legs unable to hold you up any longer.

* * *

You woke up in a dark room. It was silent. There was nothing for you to see, nothing for you to touch. You missed him so much, and yet...you could sense his presence beside you. Maybe it was your imagination. Maybe it was...

* * *

"OI! OI, GET UP! WHAT'S WRONG? GET UP!" Gokudera's frantic cries brought people flocking to where you lay, crumpled on the floor. Your hair fanned out messily on the sidewalk, your limbs sprawled out, your eyes closed. Someone called the ambulance, and they were there in a mere minute, lifting you up onto a stretcher. As they were about to close the doors, Gokudera quickly grabbed the handle.

"I'm coming with her." The paramedics sigh, at loss for what to do. They let the boy with the silver hair and the emerald eyes clamber into the ambulance and sit him on a bench next to you. He runs his hands through your hair. His expression is filled with confusion, devastation, _pain._

_How did this happen?_

You are rushed into a hospital room, sterile and isolated. He walks in, fearless of possible contamination and germs that may infect him. All he wanted to do was see you and make sure that you were okay. He sat beside your bed, taking your hand and smoothing his thumb over your skin gently. Your breathing sounded so loud, so raspy, so uncomfortable, yet Gokudera wished fervently with all his might that you would continue to breathe. One of the doctor's walked in and placed a hand on Gokudera's shoulder, heavy with sorrow.

"There's nothing we can do about this. I'm sorry, but she has little more than three months to live. Afterwards, it really will be a miracle if she's still alive."

_Shut up. How can you talk in such a cold, professional tone, you bastard of a doctor? Even Shamal would still continue to look for a cure. You say you've done all that you could. Have you really? _

Gokudera pushed his chair back with an angry snarl. Your hand fell limply back onto the bed as he let go of it abruptly. He pushed past the apologetic doctor without a word, leaving the doctor to stare at your limp body on the bed, various tubes stuck to you, your chest heaving with each laborious breath that you took in order to stay alive.

* * *

"Oi, stupid COW! Where the fuck are you?" Gokudera strolled into Tsuna's house, calling out for his least favorite member of their wayward family, much to the Vongola Decimo's surprise. "Gokudera-kun, you're looking for _Lambo?_" Gokudera nodded mutely, not really feeling like explaining what was happening. Fifteen minutes ago, Gokudera had sprinted to Tsuna's house and had started hammering on the door like a maniac. As soon as the door had swung open, Gokudera wasted no time in rambling out apologies to Jyuudaime, before bowing quickly and entering the room. He was here now, looking for the annoying Bovino. Tsuna trailed silently behind him as he pulled open doors roughly. Gokudera's movements were panicky, jerky, hurried.

"Lambo..." Tsuna called softly, waiting with bated breath for the small child's feet to patter down the hallway. He had caught onto the desperation in Gokudera's eye with surprising quickness, and he knew. He knew that you were going, and that Gokudera was making one last frenzied attempt to save you.

"Baka-Tsuna and Ahodera!" Lambo sauntered into view, picking his nose and grinning snottily up at the two teenagers. Out of the corner of his eye, Tsuna saw Gokudera let out a soft sigh of relief, before his expression hardened once more and he grabbed Lambo's afro. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING AHODERA, STUPID COW?" Lambo let out a shriek and a mumbled "to...ler...ate!" before screaming and starting to cry. Gokudera's eyes widened slightly, and he placed Lambo down onto the floor carefully. All his anger ebbed away, to be replaced with his sadness, his desperation. "Lambo..." He began hesitantly, letting the boy's name roll off his tongue. He suppressed the instinct to begin screaming at the snivelling brat. "Lambo, I need to use the bazooka."

Childish green eyes met with smoldering emerald eyes, and for a moment, both pupils flashed with shared understanding. Lambo's hand fell limply beside his small torso, his cheeky grin turning into a frown. Gokudera's eyes softened. He no longer wanted to hit the child. He needed something from him, and he would get it through non-violent means.

"Lambo." He murmured softly. "Just lend it to me this once."

Lambo's eyes searched Gokudera's face. Tsuna held his breath silently beside Gokudera. It was uncharacteristic of Lambo to be this serious. The little cow kid should've responded something more like...

"Gyahahaha...Ahodera, only if you promise to buy me a whole bag of grape candy!"

_Oh boy, here we go again. Now Gokudera's going to..._

"Fine."

And that's how he knew he was desperate.

* * *

Ten years later, Gokudera Hayato found himself sitting beside a grave stone. Your name was on it. It scared him. He brushed his hands over the inscribed words.

_Dearest friend and daughter._  
_  
Dearest friend. _

Who's friend? His? Did he watch you die? Did he attend your funeral, ask for those words to be carved into the gravestone?

_I'm an idiot. I didn't make it in time. _

He pulled his knees to his chest and stared blankly at the gravestone. It was made from marble, the alternating black and white surface occasionally mixing to make a gray. It reminded Gokudera of your personality, of how you weren't afraid to tell him anything, of how you had to live in fear of people finding out about your condition your whole life, about how you couldn't make friends with anyone properly because you didn't want to be missed. He wondered how your father had acted when he saw you lying in bed in the hospital.

_Don't cry, because you're the strongest person I know._

Gokudera swiped angrily at the wetness he felt brimming at the corner of his eyes. It was stupid of him to cry for you, when you were still alive. He swore to find a cure for you, didn't he? Why was he giving up so soon? You weren't dead yet. He would beat the disease and find something.

It was then that he noticed the note tucked under a bouquet of flowers, currently resting gently on your grave. It was a bunch of white apple blossoms. They fluttered in the wind, reminding Gokudera of their fragility, which in turn reminded him of you. Ephemeral, fragile, yet beautiful at the same time. He almost wished that his older self didn't put the bouquet there. It was painful to look at. He plucked the note from the white petals, unfolding it slowly. It wasn't that he didn't want to read what is written inside. It's just that he's slightly afraid of what he might find.

_You came back for her._

His heart fluttered at those words. He came back for her.

* * *

Gokudera Hayato managed to cure you of your disease. The doctors told you that some maniac with silver white hair and sea glass green eyes stormed into your room and injected you with something before they could do anything. They had panicked for a long time, until you sat up and rubbed your forehead, asking them what happened.

As soon as they had told you, you knew that it was him.

"Tch. I didn't do anything." His hands wandered across your ears, almost apologetically. His hands were soft and his touch was smooth. You leaned into his touch silently, pressing your ear against his chest. You couldn't hear it, but you could feel his heartbeat thudding steadily.

He managed to save your life, but he didn't manage to save your sense of hearing. As you pressed your palm to his lips so that he could murmur into your skin, you closed your eyes. You would never hear your favorite duet again, but somehow, you didn't mind.

Gokudera ran his hands through the keys on the grand piano once more. You sat yourself in his lap and leaned into his chest as he brought his hands up around you to play his piano. You felt safe here, even though you couldn't hear anything that he was playing. You could imagine the lullaby swirling through the air as his hands moved across the black and white keys with ease. He's been playing his part his whole life.

Tapping your feet to the tune, you count yourself in, and then join him.

* * *

A/N: Hey! I hope you've enjoyed the previous little oneshot with Gokudera. Please read and review! I'm taking requests. If you would like me to write a chapter for you and a canon character of your choice, please put in the name of the character, whether he is TYL or not and your genre of choice! If you wouldn't mind which I write it in, then don't specify, because I have a few ideas of my own popping up every now and then that I would like to use. Also, you can request a character twice! So if it's already written, like Gokudera's is, you can still request him both TYL and not.

Thanks for reading, and once again, R&R!

This is dedicated to **AppleDragon, **my awesome beta reader.


	2. Adult Verde

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.  
Rating: T  
Genre: Humor. (Yes. Challenge accepted. If you are displeased with the results, you can request another one, and I'll write it again, **Phantom Hitman 1412**. But I do want to try humor.)  
A/N: This was requested by** Phantom Hitman 1412**, and this is an Adult!Verde x Reader. Sorry if he seems a bit out of character, but I am not familiar with his character either, other than the fact that he is completely obsessed with his inventions.

* * *

Adult!Verde x Reader

* * *

The hospital is one of the hardest places for you to step into. You had taken a deep breath before entering through the sterilized automatic doors, feeling as if you were being suffocated. It's your first time coming to a hospital, in fact. When you were small, you were sheltered quite well. You had never broken a bone, never hurt yourself majorly. When you needed to do checkups, you always went to clinics, and that's when you developed a hatred for the disgusting sterile smell that wafted around these 'places of healing'. You thought that if you were a patient at the hospital, you wouldn't want to smell the sterile state of the hospital. You would like to smell something familiar, such as homemade cooking, or flowers, or even laundry detergent. You wouldn't want to feel like you could smell the death and dying around you, because that just scared the patients even more.

You had come to visit your sister, who was hospitalized three days before because of an irregularity in her heart rate. The doctors say that this would not be a life-threatening disease, but it may mean that she will not be able to play sports for a while, simply because her heart is beating quite irregularly. The doctors are working on a medicine that will allow her to continue to go back to work, but since they hadn't seen this kind of disease before and they didn't know what other symptoms might pop up, they have decided to keep her in hospital for a few days.

You were relieved, for obvious reasons. Your sister is the closest relative that you have, your parents living far away from you. If your sister had been diagnosed with some incurable disease, you didn't know what you would've done.

Sitting at one of the counters in the waiting area, you slowly stirred the cup of water that you had helped yourself to at the vending machine. Your throat felt incredibly dry for some reason, further accentuating the hated sterile smell in the air. Emptying the cup of its contents, you crumple the cup and throw it in the bin. It was then that you realized that your sister might appreciate a cup of water as well, so you got up and stretched a bit, before trotting back over to the water vending machine and grabbing another cup.

You left it on the counter, and then went to fill out a form that someone at the front desk offered you. You frown at the form and wondered why they would need this kind of information at a hospital. You could understand questions such as "What are you allergic to?" But not this...personality test of a quiz.

"What do you think is the main attribute in your personality?" You quickly scribbled something down about having a quick temper, but being nice most of the time, and shove it back at the receptionist. She smiles at you and files it away in one of her drawers. A doctor opens the door and asks you to come inside to see your sister, and you pick up her cup of water.

A pair of green, bespectacled eyes follow you on your way out.

"Ah, sis! How nice of you to come and see me."

You rub the back of your head sheepishly, not one for taking compliments most of the time. To avoid an awkward silence, you hand over the bento that you had made for her, as well as the cup of water. You had forgotten to bring a flask of warm tea for her, and was still berating yourself for that very mistake. She nodded her thanks, not minding the fact that her forgetful sister had forgotten to bring a drink. She took a sip of the water, and then frowned. You tap your fingers anxiously. "Does it hurt anywhere? What, does the water taste weird or anything? I got it from the vending machine outside so..."

"Nah. It must be an aftertaste from my medicine."

You barely suppress your sigh of relief. She leaned back comfortably on her pillow and cracked open her bento, giggling at your messy attempts to arrange the food into a smiley face and the words 'get better soon'. You grin sheepishly. It's not like you had any experience in making artistic food dishes, okay?

"Thanks though. Mhh! This is delicious. Much better than the cold miso soup that they serve to me every night."

"Ah, well, I just used one of mother's old recipes, so I hoped it turned out alright! Don't worry about having to eat more miso soup, they said that you might be discharged from the hospital soon anyway."

The two of you soon settle into a comfortable silence. You pull out some knitting that you were working on. It was your dream to knit a full scarf for your sister, partly because she loved scarves of any make and material, and partly because you wanted to make something for her. But mostly because you had gotten addicted to the knitting process. All that looping and crossing of the needles is hypnotizing.

"Sorry about this." You hold up your current progress. It looked quite tattered, to say the least. Your sister chuckled. "Nah, it's okay. I can just say that it's a 'holey scarf'. Get it?" The two of you crack up at the stupid joke, even though it was one of the lamest jokes you've ever heard. Maybe it's the relief that you know is dwelling inside both your hearts from hearing that she would be getting better soon. Even though you were both classified as 'adults', having lived on this planet for 21 years each, old habits die hard. You still found yourself to be childish at times, and your sister played along with it. That's just how close the two of you are.

Suddenly, she doubled over. You were up and by her side in a second, rubbing her back. "What's wrong?" Your questions fell on deaf ears as she started gagging. You swear you saw some yellowish flames racing up and down her spine. Letting out a cry of alarm, you pressed the button to call the nurses into the room, all the while searching for a bucket in case your sister wanted to throw up or anything. The door opened, and you blinked.

"Oh thank god, someone's here to help! Can you please, there must be something wrong.." Your voice is laced with panic, and you moved out of the way immediately as the man came forward. He looked young, only a couple of years older than you were. He had vibrant green hair, narrow green eyes and round glasses. His hair stuck up at weird angles, and you giggled softly behind your hand as the wind from the open window ruffled his green locks. He looked like a mad scientist from some cartoon that you used to watch with your sister when you were little. He moved to help your sister into sitting position, and you helped him. Your hands brushed and you blushed slightly. He had a mysterious, calming air around him, and that in itself calmed your emotions. Worry still pounded itself into your heart, but at least your sister had stopped gagging and was laying relatively still, her eyes closed but eyelids flickering. You caught sight of the man's name tag. 'Verde', huh? That name suited him, what with his green hair and eyes. Verde stood up and adjusted his glasses neatly, taking a clipboard out of nowhere. You regarded him with anxious eyes. "So, what's with her, doctor?"

"Hmm. She has sun flames. Very low frequency, but that is to be expected of a civilian..." He continued muttering about the effect of such 'flames' on something called 'box weapons'. You listened to his crazed rambling, eyes getting wider and wider. "What is this, a new disease?"

He paused to pin you in your place with a stern stare. You gulped. And that's when you realize that you had seen him before in the waiting area, the man by the vending machine. The man that had been wearing a scientist's lab coat, even though he didn't look like personnel from the hospital. "You...you're not a doctor!" You shrieked at him, nearly hysterical with anger and annoyance. You were a relatively shy and well mannered girl, but when something ticked you off, boy did you get angry quickly.

"Get her a doctor now, you imposter. And get out of here. For heck's sake, if I didn't know better I would say that you even spiked the drink that I was going to giv-..." You had much better perceptive skills than anyone else in your family, but even that came to a surprise. The pieces came together soon enough, and you mustered your anger all into a glare that you sent his way. Verde merely smirked at the expression on your face.

You slapped him.

"GET OUT!" You screamed. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you giggled as you saw his glasses fall back onto his face in a rather askewed manner, his expression turning from haughty to surprised. A great red mark formed on the right side of his face. Various doctors and nurses rushed into the room, jaws dropping when they took in the situation. There was the patient, lying motionless on the bed. The famous scientist, Verde, standing in front of the visitor, who had apparently just screamed at him and slapped him. The doctors ushered Verde out with a lot of bowing and apologies, and then turned to try and placate you.

"He almost killed her! Almost KILLED my sister!"

"Ma'am, it's not how it looks..."

"IT IS EXACTLY HOW IT LOOKS! HE SPIKED HER DRINK AND I GAVE IT TO HER AND THEN..."

A nurse grabbed you by the arm and dragged you kicking and screaming outside. The doctors set to monitoring your sister's condition, and you were left on a chair outside in the corridor, impatiently awaiting news of her state. To your utter annoyance, said scientist came strolling down the corridor once more, looking as nonchalant as he could be. Nothing was out of place, and even his glasses had been straightened. But the red mark was still there.

You felt like being childish and turned away from him with your arms crossed. Verde came up to you and sighed. "She has sun flames. It's not a lethal drink."

"What the frick are you talking about, sun flames this, box weapons that! Do you really honestly expect me to believe in all the bullcrap that you've been feeding me for the past hour? You almost killed her, and I saw it with my own two eyes! You probably bribed the receptionist to give me that weird personality test so that I would be distracted and you could slip whatever drug you put into her drink right then and there! I don't understand why the doctors acted so formally, so respectfully towards a man like you! You should be in jail! You're crazy! Probably murdered many people by slipping stuff in their drink! What's even more appalling is the fact that you've been caught red handed in a HOSPITAL! This is where people go to heal, not take drugs from a crazy druggie like you!"

"Well actually, it was originally intended that you would drink the cup of wat-"

_Slap. _You hit him again, this time across his other cheek. His glasses clattered to the floor once more, and you briefly allowed yourself a sense of satisfaction as he raised a hand to his stinging cheek, evidently having not met many feisty females before you. "So what now? You were originally going to kill me first? And then kill my sister? What the FUCK is your problem?"

He sighed. "I'm doing research on flame displacement from individuals with different personalities. That drink would've been completely harmless. It would've just displayed a bit of flames, just so that I could mark down which flame attribute you have. It would be beneficial to the whole world for me to conduct this experiment, and so I have decided to gather data."

"Next time, just use a fucking survey! Don't go around spiking people's drinks!"

But you were intrigued, you had to say that. His seriousness persuaded you that he was speaking the truth, and though you didn't really get what he was talking about, you found yourself getting more and more interested in his theory of flames. Before you knew it, the two of you were sitting down and chatting like old friends on the topic of flames and resolution and a whole bunch of other crap that you were sure to forget tomorrow when you wake up.

* * *

Verde frowned as the female's head dropped onto his shoulder. They had been waiting for your sister's diagnostic test for many hours now, and the two of you had been talking nonstop for the whole time. Finally spent, he had seen your eyelids start to flicker and then fall, covering your beautifully colored irises. Verde had tried to move away from you then, but something stopped him as he saw you lean gracefully and then start to fall over. He had automatically held you upright, and then your head had dropped onto his shoulder. You were sound asleep.

The dumbfounded scientist had absolutely no idea what is going on by this time. He wasn't used to interacting with females, and truth be told, he only stopped to talk to you because you had actually found out what he had been doing. Verde had originally wanted to silence you somehow, but found himself rather curious in the way your mind worked. You had been able to tell that it was him who had spiked the drink with the 'flame testing liquid', and in a really short period of time as well. Verde wondered if he would someday be able to dissect your brain. You obviously didn't think like most _homo sapiens_on this planet.

You let out a soft whimper and snuggled deeper into his touch. Verde's hand came up to stroke your hair, but before he could do so, he caught himself in the act and quickly used the raised hand to push his glasses upright once more. The door opposite the bench where the two of you were sitting opened, and an old couple hobbled out the doorway. The grandma gave Verde a toothy grin, and Verde shifted slightly.

"Hello, miss? We have the results of your sis-"

Verde's gaze met the doctor's gaze steadily. The doctor took in the situation in and nodded, gesturing for Verde to come in and listen to the results in your stead. For some weird reason, Verde didn't want you to wake up. Maybe it was because you were quiet when you slept. Maybe it was because your mouth curved slightly upwards, as if you were dreaming about something pleasant.

He left you slumbering peacefully on the bench outside the hospital room and went to go make sure your sister is okay.

* * *

"The doctors said it's unlike anything that they had ever seen before. That weird irregularity in my heart, it kind of just went away. Just like that." Your sister snapped her fingers gleefully. "It didn't feel like anything! Do you think this is a miracle?"

You nod, uninterested with her chatter. After having woken up with nobody next to you and the hospital all dark and all, you had freaked out. Just a little bit. Your screaming brought along some nurses, and they finally told you that your sister had been completely healed of her irregularity. You had asked why, and they had adopted a very uneasy stance. Almost like those _'Men in Black'_movies, where they're getting ready to wipe your memory. They didn't say anything, simply nodded and smiled. You found that kind of creepy, but nodded in thanks nevertheless as they led you back into her room. She was there, sitting up, all fine and dandy looking. And you had breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Which led us up to where we were now.

"Ne, sis, do you think it's that mysterious, green haired man?"

"Verde?" You replied automatically. Your sister raised a slender eyebrow.

"Ohoh, you know his name now? Did he give you his phone number? Because even though he looked like a mad scientist, he was quite dandy looking, don't you think? With his untamed verdant hair and all that?" Your sister is quite talkative for someone hospitalized, you grumbled. Usually hospitalization shuts you up for a while. Not with her, in fact. She's talking like there's no tomorrow.

"...and you see, you should just ask him out already! Seriously, not once have I ever seen you become interested in boys or whatnot..."

* * *

A few months later, and you were working at the hospital.

As the receptionist, of course.

"Hello, this is Namimori Hospital, how may I help you?"

As you listened to the varying degrees of hysteria that passed over the phone during the conversations you held with worried mothers all over Namimori, you found yourself contemplating just how ironic it was for you to have come and signed up to work in the hospital. What in the world convinced you to do that? Even as you thought of it, a certain man with green eyes and hair popped into your mind. You growl and shake your head. _No way. Not because of that dweeb. He thinks he's so smart, charming me with all this talk about nonsense like 'box weapons' and resolutions and whatnot. Just so that he could claim that he developed this kind of firework thing that people can actually use rings to light! Isn't this already invented, like in China or something? That insolent little...arrogant stuck up prick of a mad scientist!_

"Hmm. Insulting me, are you?"

And there he was, that very man that you were silently cursing at in your hand. He was standing in front of you, holding what looked suspiciously like a cross between a barcode scanner and a thermometer at your head. You gave him a wary glare, and he nods, as if he could read your mind. "Yes, indeed. This device, in fact, can read your mi-"

_Slap._

* * *

After you screamed your throat dry at him about how reading other people's minds with thermometer-barcode hybrid instruments isn't polite at all, not to mention attracting the attention of all the hospital staff and visiting patients and waiting relatives there, he finally agreed to take you out for dinner as a sort of way to placate you. You weren't sure whether you should feel glad about this or to feel horrified that he would go so low as to buy your forgiveness. Eventually, you agreed.

And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.

After, of course, you spilt grape juice all over his beautifully crisp, white coat, tipped sugar instead of salt onto his steak, ordered the most expensive thing on the menu (sea bream with cream and basil) before remembering that you were highly allergic to fish of any kind, which of course includes said dish. As you broke out in hives and tried not to scratch yourself too openly in public, Verde finally gave up. He asked you whether you would like to accompany him back to his laboratory some other day, and slowly suggested that you go home and rest up to get rid of the atrocious hives that were breaking out all over your face and arms. You quickly agreed.

* * *

His laboratory is amazing. Filled with bubbling cauldrons, liquids of unimaginable colors and textures. As you watch a bubble slowly form in the middle of the huge conical flask sitting in the middle of the room, you couldn't help but let out a gasp of delight. You faintly saw him adjust his glasses slightly, which you now have learnt is his way of giving consent, showing approval. Strangely enough, you thought it was cute. He smirked as he caught you staring, and you blushed and turned away.

Beautiful friendship, indeed.

He continued explaining what he was doing in his line of work. As he did so, he briefly wondered whether you were even interested in what he was talking about, whether you were listening even. You nod once in a while, and that convinced him that you were in fact understanding what he was saying. As he paused to take a breath, you shoot a few questions and he found himself obliged to answer. There was something intelligent lurking behind your eyes, something far different from other humans that Verde had interacted with. You understood his theories, logically and scientifically, even though you had modestly claimed that your science 'is no good'. He had smirked at that. Rare that a human specimen would claim to be humble about something. Usually people would just nod and play along, trying to elevate their standards, straining to keep up the act of understanding what Verde was saying. He hated those types of people, but you were the exact opposite. Trying to keep your humble appearance.

And for some weird, inexplicable reason, he was intrigued by that quality.

Over the next few days, you went to visit his laboratory everyday. He never took you out to dinner again, after that disastrous episode in one of the most well known seafood restaurants in Namimori. With each visit, you came to understand more about Verde's quest to create the box weapons. However, you just didn't quite understand it in the way that he had thought you did.

You understood his character, his deep feelings. He was lonely. He was always independent, but not one person that he had worked with had understood his real purpose. He was trying to create a weapon and claim title to it, just so that he could build up a reputation, just so that he wouldn't be an outcast in society. Even though he was well known in the hospital, having developed a cure for a previously incurable disease, he still felt separated, a black sheep in a sea of white. He was trying to prove something. Prove his existence, prove that he could fit in, prove that he wasn't lonely.

And you wanted to cure him of this loneliness.

* * *

Verde cleared his throat for the umpteenth time, but you wouldn't stop fiddling on the dials of a peculiar, bazooka shaped object. He clucked his tongue in warning when the bazooka tilted slightly out of place, and you leapt back, rubbing the back of your head and shooting him a sheepish smile.

"As I was saying, there's something wrong with this piece of equipment. Here, the dials are supposed to be set with..."

You tuned him out again, your thoughts lost on how his glasses fit on the curve of his nose, how his hair, though unkempt, still kept that vibrant green color. Without knowing it, you were shuffling closer and closer to him. Almost as if he was a magnet that attracted you to him and you were unwillingly being led by the nose. Verde continued talking, sticking one hand in the pocket of the 'great scientist coat' as you liked to call it. The more he talked, the more he failed to observe his surroundings. And then and there, it clicked. You realized just how much you understood him. He was a man of science, a man who loved his job and nothing more than his job.

Not even a human being. He didn't even see himself as belonging on this planet, preferring to see everyone else as test subjects and preferring to keep his distance.

"Verde..." You start, your voice soft. He blinked once or twice, and his words stumbled over each other. He turned to give you a blank stare, and you hugged him.

It was a simple relationship between the two of you. You were the listener, he was the talker. Verde never seemed to talk much outside of his interactions with you. In fact, he barely spoke a word to even the hospital staff, whom you had considered as his friends until you realized that he was just a professional to them, and they had never held anything other than formal conversations on the topic of medicine while they were talking with him. Ironic, you muse once more, that Verde had first met you in the hospital, which was the place he frequented the most (second to his laboratory of course), and also hated the most.

Slowly, hesitantly, Verde's arms wrapped around you. He didn't lower his head. He stared ahead pointedly, as if refusing to meet your gaze, refusing to acknowledge that you were now snuggling deep into his torso, like he had envisioned on that day in the hospital when you had fell asleep on his shoulder. His moves were precise, calculated, almost as if he was conducting a science experiment with you as the primary specimen. You felt almost special then, in his arms, as his hand came up to brush away a stray strand of hair curled up on your shoulder. His touch sparked a shiver down your spine. Indeed, there is chemistry between the two of you, you thought with a slightly cynical tone.

And of course, it was then that the peculiar purple bazooka chose to come tumbling down from the shelves and hit you smack dab in the middle of your romantic embrace with the mysterious scientist who you've come to understand so well.

How ironic.

* * *

Verde regarded the five year old in front of him with great distrust. There you were, the same hair and the same eyes, the same beautiful curve of your face, and the same innocent aura that you carried around with you. There you were, the same quick temper, the same childish screaming.

Except this time, you really are a child.

"Um." He started slowly, unsure of what to say. This is the first time Verde has had anything unprofessional come out of his mouth since he was around five. But this just proved that even a genius scientist such as he is can sometimes be stumped into silence by the surprising turn of events. And you turning into a five year old warranted that exact reaction from the esteemed man.

Without warning, your mouth opened and you started wailing angrily. He was at loss at what to do. Even though he himself had possessed a body of a child since a few months ago, he wasn't sure about what to do with an actual, live, _normal_toddler. Maybe he should treat you to something? Show you something cool? He picked you up and tried not to grimace at the unnatural feeling of a toddler in his arms. And then he thinks...that five minutes later, you were going to come back. So what should he teach you in this short five minutes that he has with your younger self? Some science? But you wouldn't understand him.

Nevertheless, he tried. You tipped over three more conical flasks in your temper tantrum before he finally gave up with you. He sat you on a bench and cautiously perched across from you, scrutinizing you like you were a bunch of bacteria underneath the lens of his microscope. Strangely enough, you stopped crying as soon as you were let down. You gave him a blank, innocent stare, before pulling your lips back and laughing loudly. Verde visibly flinched at the laughter that came out of your mouth. It was unexpectedly loud.

"Hm. Interesting."

You clapped your hands and waited for the strange man to continue speaking. That is, until your time ran out.

* * *

The first thing you noticed when you opened your eyes again was that your parents were sitting in front of you, proud smiles lingering on their faces. As soon as they saw you, the smiles slipped off quickly, and they regarded you with more of a wary air about them.

"Mom..." You choked. It's been so long. So long since that fateful day where you learn that your father and mother had decided to move away for reasons unknown, leaving you and your sister to fend yourself. You didn't know what to do. You were struck speechless for once in your life. The silence stretched out ahead of you, like an uncomfortable road of refusal to back down. Your father gave you and your mother quizzical look. The two of you were staring down, and you knew that your mother, the quick thinking woman that she is, was comparing your appearances.

You watch nervously as your mother's eyes flickered to the photo behind you and then back to your face. Your father gulped almost audibly in the loudness of the silence.

"Who...are you?" She whispered, and you silently tell her your name. Their eyes widened further, and your mother gave you a suspicious glare.

"That's impossible. There's no way you can coincidentally have the same name as our newborn daughter, coincidentally show up on the day that she learned to walk, coincidentally _look _like her..." The louder she spoke, the more you flinched. Your father wrapped one arm around her shoulders and nodded in silent support. You grimace slightly. Your father was a more silent type, and this eventually led to a whole bunch of misunderstandings, and which in turn led up to the break up of your parents, and finally them moving far, far away from each other. You and your sister were both left behind to fend for yourselves, with nothing but a hefty sum of money, the empty apartment, and orders to the school principal to keep an eye on the two of you.

The very fact that your parents are here, right in front of you, brought tears to your eyes. Before you knew what was happening, you had dived into your mother's arms.

"Don't leave me, Mama, Papa!" You blubbered incoherently. The woman stiffened, shocked. Your father slowly and hesitantly reached out to pat your hair, and finally, you felt your mother start to move. She weaved her fingers through your hair skillfully, as if she'd been waiting all her life to do this. You could hear her soothing whispers. "Don't cry, honey, don't cry."

And with that, you were gone.

* * *

Verde blinked and adjusted his glasses as the young adult with red rimmed eyes suddenly appeared once more. Her eyes were blotchy, obviously from crying. Verde hesitantly shuffled closer, and you raised your hand. How dare he show you such a personal image to taunt you? Is he making fun of you this way? Is he mocking you, using your loneliness for one of his experiments? Trying to measure the amount of mental pain a person can be subjected to you?

"I'm sorry." He said. It was the first time you had heard him properly apologize.

It was then that Verde truly understood your loneliness.

Without thinking about it, you had leapt forward, wrapped your arms around his neck. His lips met yours quickly, and his glasses clattered to the floor once more. He hugged you closer. _You're not going to be lonely anymore. We're going to be together. _Just him and you and his wacky experiments. But somehow, you couldn't bring yourself to mind.

* * *

The hospital is your favorite place in the whole wide world. It's the loneliest, full of pain, sickness and suffering, but it's also the place where you finally managed to find someone else to spend your days with.

* * *

A/N: I hope I didn't butcher his character too much. Thanks to **AppleDragon, Phantom Hitman 1412, Clair Kingsleigh, TunaSFX and VongolaViv **for reviewing the previous chapter! **Clair Kingsleigh, **I am working on yours, and I already have a plot in mind, so be patient for a little longer and sorry for the display.

I can honestly say that Verde is one of the hardest characters for me to write. I hope this story has enough fluff in it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. So now...questions? Comments? Reviews? Flamers? Please do read and review!

Requests are still available, but please note that the next one will be Hibari x Reader for **Clair Kingsleigh**.


	3. Hibari

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.  
Rating: T  
Genres: Romance, angst, a bit of humor  
A/N: This one was requested by **Clair Kingsleigh**! Thanks to all those who have taken the time to comment and review my previous chapters, and for those who have requested an x reader chapter, your time will come eventually and I ask that all of you be patient. I will write yours! Don't worry. And one more thing: I have a new story up! It's called 'Stowaway', please check out the new chapter, and review! *Casually begging*

Just for clarification: Hibari Kuniumi is an OC. In this fic, he is Hibari Kyoya's brother.

* * *

Hibari x Reader

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, Hibari Kyoya had not always been alone. He used to have a mother, a father, a brother even. Like a normal child, he had grown up in a normal family. You knew that much about him, because you were his next door neighbor and neighbors always knew everything about each other. His mother was a fair skinned, dark haired woman. His father once stood proud and tall, his build intimidating but his brown eyes kind. Even his brother had had a childishly nice aura around him. Kyoya was once normal, social even. Just an innocent child.

Hibari Kyoya's brother was your first crush. He had all the looks, and all the charisma, the raven black hair of his mother and the soft brown eyes of his father. Kyoya inherited both the hair and sharp eyes from his mother, giving him more of an intimidating and commanding air, so you were often more scared of him. The three of you often played in the backyard of their enormous traditionally styled Japanese house. You made up silly games like family, where you were the mother and Kyoya the father and Hibari's brother the great uncle who always came over to have tea. Your dolls became live children and you happily served plastic slices of cake, accompanied by little dishes of cut plastic strawberries and cups of watery tea.

It was the perfect childhood.

Your mother was friends with Kyoya's mother. The two women often talked over cups of steaming green tea and plates of dango and sweets. They were always dressed in beautiful kimonos when they went to visit each other, your mother donning a sky blue one embroidered with lilies and leaves, and Kyoya's mother wearing a royal purple one with a simple but elegant design of flying birds. You were often present for these talks, climbing into your mother's lap and staying as the observer to their playful banter. Kyoya's mother had always given you a small sweet for you to suck on while they talked. Her hands were always gentle, but her eyes were always serious. Your mother would stroke your hair and hush you as they continued late into the night, and you would fall asleep in your mother's arms. They talked and laughed together, and you found out that they had once gone to school together and had became friends over a simple dispute of who had the prettiest ribbons in their hair. You had giggled upon hearing this, you could not imagine the elegant and strict woman wearing anything besides her formal kimono.

More often than not, you would get tired of the gossip that travelled back and forth between the two women. You would leave the room silently and close the door, before running down the corridor of their house to find the one room that you knew so well. Opposite to Hibari Kyoya's room was his brother's room. The only way you could tell the two rooms apart was the small wooden plate on each door, telling you which person occupied which. The first few times you've been to their house, you couldn't tell which one was which because you were too short to read the sign, and no matter how hard you strained on your five year old toes, you couldn't reach the sign. You had simply resorted to bounding between the two doors, knocking on both of them. Hibari Kyoya's door had opened first, and you had accidentally hit him in the chest. Your fist had still been small, and you didn't hurt him much, but he had gripped your arm and gave you such a angry look that you had immediately burst into tears and cried 'sorry' over and over. Kyoya's brother had then opened the door and had 'saved' you from the evil clutches of his brother, and gave Kyoya a talking to for scaring you. That's when you fell in love with his brother and started being scared of Kyoya himself.

Your childhood went by in a flash. You had first met them when you were five, Kyoya was 6 and his brother was 10. Now fifteen, you no longer knew Kyoya as Kyoya. He had become Hibari through and through, living his family name as if it were given to him. He was the head disciplinarian at the school, and he treated you no different from the other students. You had gotten your fair share of beatings from him, and the fear that you felt for him never truly went away. In fact, the more controlling he became, the harsher he acted, the more your fear was elevated. The rest of his family had gone, and you feared that Hibari had forgotten you.

* * *

_"Mama?"_

_"Yes?" _

_"Do you think someone will love me? Like how Papa loves you, and how Kyoya's Papa loves his Mama too."_

_"Of course, sweetie. Everyone will find who they love eventually, and I'm sure the person who loves you will find you too."_

_You sat up, excitement pounding through your little, innocent heart. Your mother sighs, having just tucked you in, and suddenly found that her efforts have all been in vain and you were still wide awake. She pats you on the head and you see that she's wearing the blue kimono. She was probably on her way to see Kyoya's mother again, you thought. "Mama," You call, knowing that she would stay just enough so that she could hear what you had to say. "Mama, I think I know who I love now."  
_  
_She gives you that condescending look of an adult who knows far too much. It was only puppy love, and you hadn't yet realized that. As you told her of your crush for Kyoya's brother, she could only nod and smile, and think that you were the most adorable thing on earth. You were innocent back then, and you didn't know of the true meaning of love and the implications that come with it. You weren't hurt yet, and you were protected by your childish naïveté. Your mother had merely patted you on the head once more and tucked you in again, kissing you on the forehead and whispering that you should sleep quickly so that you wouldn't get tired tomorrow morning, for you were going to their house again for another play date. You closed your eyes, smiling at the thought of being able to see him again. You wished that he was waiting for you as well. _

* * *

"Herbivores, stop crowding in the hallway."

At his very word, people skittered to the side. You acted no differently; just because you had known him as a child doesn't mean that you get special treatment. You could imagine that Hibari's thoughts concurred with yours, because he gave you an especially stern stare as he passed by. His eyes are slanted in the same way his mother's were, beautifully angled and a steely blue grey. You found yourself staring at his eyes, wishing they would turn into the warm brown orbs that his now deceased brother had once possessed. Perhaps Hibari sensed your pain, for he turned back to glare at you with such animosity that you reeled backwards and disappeared into a nearby classroom just to get out of his line of fire.

Everyday at school was an embarrassing, painful nightmare for you. You passed him numerous times in the hallway, and you were still missing his brother. He acted as if he didn't know you, and for the first few weeks you had been attention seeking and annoying, trailing after him and asking after him, even though you were still neighbors and nothing had really changed. In reality, everything had changed for him, and in that way it had changed for you as well. He was no longer part of a full family, and it must be hurting him. But in that selfish, insensitive way of yours, you had made so many mistakes, had torn the gash in his heart deeper with your very appearance. Once or twice he could forgive you, the way you tapped him on the back and called his brother instead of his name, the way you asked him how his mother was doing and then remembered that his mother is forever gone, the way you comment casually that he had the same proud posture of his father and he would glare at you. After weeks of enduring mental torture from him, he had finally had enough of it and had hit you for the first time. You had cried and said that his brother would never do something like that, and he had left you crying.

Hibari Kyoya began to hate you.

* * *

_All these jokes between the three of you, of you marrying his brother or of Kyoya marrying you when you grew older, were just simply jokes. You found this out the painful way when you had just turned 11, Kyoya 12 and his brother 16. By this time, you had already known for a while that he was just humoring you when he had 'agreed' to be your husband. You never minded, though, because you knew that it was hopeful wishing when it came to things like this. But of course, you kept on hoping._

_The painful reality only really hit you when you saw him walking home with another girl one day. She is pretty, obviously older and more mature than you. Her hair fell to her back in long wavy lengths, and her eyes sparkle with honesty and laughter. They look perfect side to side, and you couldn't do anything but watch helplessly as he leads her into the house and introduces her to his parents and his brother. Tears well up in your eyes. Hopelessly in love, that's what you were. Hopelessly heartbroken, that's what you are now._

_Your mother comes out of her room as soon as you step into the household. She knows you so well, it's almost as if she can hear your footsteps. She calls out for you and you run into her arms. She doesn't ask why you're crying._

* * *

It's already second period. Normally, you were a hardworking student, but today you decide to slack off a bit and simply stare out the window. Somehow, it felt like you were getting watched by someone. But that's impossible, because the classroom opposite yours is empty of people. You've already looked around the classroom, hoping to find the source of your suspicions, but nothing comes up. All the males are goofing off save for the serious few sitting in the front row. All the females are either attempting to text with their phone under the table, or actually studying, or, in your case, staring out the window. The teacher hasn't called on you yet, so you're safe for now. Your friend pokes you gently with a pencil and whispers for you to pay attention, so you shake off the feeling and focus on the board once more.

Suddenly, a bird flutters by the window, crying out. It's wingbeats thunder against the glass, and you let out a shriek of alarm. The whole class' attention is diverged to you now, and everyone starts laughing. "Gosh! It's just a bird. No need to scream!" Some of your classmates declare boisterously, while others just laugh. Blood rushed to your face and you pressed your hands against your burning cheeks, embarrassed. It was just a bird. Nothing is wrong. Apart from the fact that the bird seemed so alarmed, for some reason. It gave you the same feeling that you felt on the night Hibari lost everything.

The teacher tapped the board twice and the class quietened down.

* * *

_It happened close to Kyoya's thirteenth birthday._

_"Stay here, sweetheart, something happened over at the Hibari household! I'm going to be back soon, okay?" Your father and mother both left to help out their dear neighbors, leaving you by the window. You clutched your teddy bear and watched with widened eyes as the police cars arrive soon after, sirens wailing into the night air. You bound out of your house in pajamas, just in time to see them pull a shocked and shivering Hibari Kyoya out of the burning wooden house. His hands are burned, his ebony locks singed, his eyes vacant. You walk up to him and hug him, even though you didn't really want to because you weren't sure what he would do. He was trembling so hard, and without meaning to, your eyes watered as the implications hit you. If Hibari Kyoya, the male you were always so scared of, Kyoya, who looks invincible and doesn't have any weaknesses, was trembling, then what really happened in there?_

_Kyoya doesn't respond. You hug him tighter, feeling as if you were trying to keep a dead body warm. Your mother runs up to the two of you, and as he sees her approaching figure, he snaps back to life and shakes you off rather roughly. She scolds you a little, saying that you shouldn't have run out of the house by yourself, but you weren't listening. Your eyes were fixated on the plumes of black smoke that billowed out of the beautiful, burning house. The flames flicker red and yellow, much like how Kyoya's eyes flash lightly when he gets really angry, or sometimes really happy. It looks beautiful, surreal, a vibrant painting against the canvas of the black sky. _

_Your mother ushers the two of you into the kitchen and then rush back out to assess the situation once more. Kyoya takes a seat silently at the counter, and you run to the fridge and pour out a cup of milk for him. The silence cracks a gap between the two of you as you push the cup of milk into the microwave and heat it up. The only sound then is the sound of the microwave whirring and the nervous tapping of your feet as you watched the cup go round and round. As soon as the ding of the microwave indicated that the milk is sufficiently warmed, you open the microwave and grab the cup, placing it softly on the table and pushing it over to him. He stares at the white liquid for a while and doesn't make a move to touch it. You push it across, more firmly now, and finally, he raises one hand to touch the glass gently. You gasp as you see the burns that mar his hands, and you hop off your stool once more to go and grab a first aid kit. As soon as you've got it, you gently set the kit on the table and pull your stool closer to him so that you were facing him. He doesn't make a sound, still gently grasping the warmed glass. It must hurt, you think, to touch anything with heat with those burnt hands of his. Gently, you pry his hand away from the glass and turn both his hands upwards so that you could see his palms. You pick a tube of medicine from the box, still unsure whether it's the right one to use. It was an ointment for cuts and bruises, but it contains pain reliever so you think that this is enough. Kyoya still doesn't make any noise when you start to spread the cream over his palms gently. You marvel for a second at the softness of his skin, so unlike what you imagined a boy's hands would be. Kyoya's eyes bore into the top of your bowed head as you continue to treat his hands. _

_Slowly, one tear makes its way down your cheek. It drips onto the center of his hands and he flinches slightly. You apologize softly and raise one hand to wipe at your cheeks. Another two tears escape your desperate fingers and land on Kyoya's burnt hands as well. _

_You were crying for him and for his family, and selfishly, for yourself. You had realized that you would never see his brother again. _

_Ever since that day, Hibari Kyoya's been living alone. Your mother had wanted to take him in and raise him as a son of her own, but he refused firmly yet politely. You had heard him refuse from your eavesdropping point just on the second floor hallway, and you had wondered at the strange pang in your heart when you realized that Hibari didn't want to stay here. Your mother nodded and said that she understood, and you wanted to shout that you didn't understand. Why wouldn't he just accept the offer and stay as your sibling? The two of you were so close that you'd never considered him as anything else anyway. You were an only child, and so you had fervently wished that Kyoya and his brother would treat you as a little sister. As you looked down at Hibari Kyoya then from your hiding place in the landing, his head still held tall and proud, his face showing no signs of distress even though his parents and his brother died just yesterday, you couldn't help but admire him. Strength in the face of weakness. Years later, you would find out that you've seen Hibari Kyoya at his most vulnerable, and you would marvel at the fact that Kyoya would even show you the weaker side of him. _

_When you asked your mother why the last living Hibari didn't accept the offer that day, your mother only shook her head and stared at the door sadly. "Pride." She tells you. You still don't understand. _

* * *

"Hey! Hear me out, okay? So my friends and I were just sitting on the roof just before the bell rang for first period. It was just me, Kai and Noriyue, and we weren't doing anything. In fact, Noriyue had his book out as well! He was just reading and we were just chatting, minding our own business. And then guess what? Hibari appears out of nowhere and beats the fucking shit out of all of us for 'crowding on his roof'. His roof, are you kidding me? That guy's a retard of a bastard. He belongs in a mental institute, okay? Jeez. Mindless violence much? And he claims he's keeping the discipline of Namimori! What a jerk."

You stuff a mouthful of rice into your mouth and quickly excuse yourself from the group to 'go to the bathroom'. It was lunchtime, and everyone's got their own epic tale to tell about how they accidentally ran into the Demon of Namimori today. As you walked slowly along the third floor corridor, you couldn't help but think that your friends were being a bit harsh in their criticism against a certain raven-haired male. He was just doing what he thinks is right for the community, albeit in a ruthless manner. You've been punished by him numerous times as well, and for each one of them you could look back and see why he thought he should hit you. You were the only person besides your mother and Hibari Kyoya himself to know the real reason why the school is important to him. It's basically like a second home that was founded by his father. His father had been the principal, his mother a teacher. His brother had been the head of the disciplinary committee back in his time, and Hibari was simply protecting what had been theirs. You shake your head, resisting the urge to smile like an idiot. It was almost cute, the way he was so territorial about the school. Although, you secretly thought to yourself, he could protect it in less violent way. A way that would no doubt be more popular with the students.

You wash your hands, just so that you have something to do and so that your friends wouldn't find out that you had been aimlessly wandering the hallways and thinking of Hibari Kyoya. If they found out, you would definitely not survive their teasing, or even animosity. It was the sad truth that most of the students currently at Namimori Chuu hate Hibari in one way or another.

Another flock of birds skim the windows, and you quickly exit the bathroom, craning your head to look at the sky. The birds seemed flustered, panicked, squawking as they shoot across the sky. You scrunch up your eyebrows as you think hard about their behavior. It's often said that animals can predict natural disasters to come right? You laugh. You must be paranoid. It must be just some kind of twisted wishful thinking for more spice and adventure to come into your life. You turn and start walking down the hallway again, your thoughts wandering back to Hibari. Now that you think of it, he was like his brother in a really unruly, mirrored way. He was stricter, but he knew to be kind to small animals. You've noticed him with Hibird, and often caught rare glimpses of him talking to the sweet fluffball.

You fall, suddenly. The ground starts shaking violently. Gasping, you try to pull yourself to your feet. The birds were right. It's an earthquake. It happens frequently in Japan, but without the vigor of this particular quake. You let out another cry as you fall back to the ground, unable to gain your balance. The world spins around you, reminding you of the milk in the microwave.

Someone grabs your arm and drags you along the corridor and into a room. You struggle limply, wondering how the person seemed to keep his or her balance so gracefully when the world seems to be tilting at a ninety degree angle. You are shoved roughly underneath a desk and the person presses you in with his body. "Hibari?" You gasp, as you finally realize who it is. He presses you in firmly as crumbling and crashing sounds can be heard. His filing cabinet tips over and blocks the front of the desk, effectively shutting you and Hibari inside an enclosed space. You open your mouth to scream, and he presses one hand over your mouth.

"Shut up." He orders. Without knowing it, his hands were pinning you to the back of the desk, and it hurt. All around you, crashes sounded. Deafening roars of material falling. "My friends..." You manage to tell him. He glares at you, his eyes shining and light grey in the dark. You cringe and dip your head. The shaking stops, and you glance fearfully at the watch on your hand. To your surprise, it had only been around 35 seconds from the initial shaking. Hibari had moved fast.

You brace your hands against his chest, getting ready to push him off you and exit this cramped space the two of you were currently sharing. Now that the commotion is over, you were more than ready to get out of Hibari's hitting range. And also, you had a dreadful feeling in the pit of your stomach, and your mind is already cooking up all sorts of dreadful situations your friends might be caught in. Hibari doesn't budge. "Aftershocks." He states calmly, almost as if this was an everyday occurrence. Soon afterwards, the ground starts trembling again. You push your head into the crook of his neck, scared. He holds you there, gently.

And that's when you realize that Hibari Kyoya isn't so scary after all.

* * *

_"I like Kuniumi-kun! Actually, I think I love him."_

_"Oh, and why is that?"_

_"Well, he's nice, Mama. He's always nice to me. But...whenever we play family, I always have to be Kyoya's wife. That's so unfair!"_

_"Life's unfair, sweetie. What's so bad about Kyoya though? He's nice."_

_"He scares me."_

_"Maybe he's like the beast in 'Beauty and the Beast', you know? Maybe he's just scared to show his true emotions. Maybe he's lonely."_

_"Kyoya-kun is...lonely?"_

* * *

One half of Namimori Chuu had caved in. You and Hibari stood side by side, surveying the damage dished out by the earthquake that had happened earlier. Luckily, all those on that side of the building had managed to get out of the school before anything major happened. The cafeteria is located on the other half, so most students and staff members had made it out unscathed. You were holding on to Hibari Kyoya's jacket, partly out of fear, partly because you tended to hold onto things when you got worried. You watched your friends hobble across the schoolyard towards you. You let go of Hibari quickly, running across to hug them. They cried, squabbling about how worried they were for you. You look back and see that Hibari has a gash on his leg. You detach yourself from your friend's side, and run back to the raven haired teen who saved your life.

"Thank you." You start.

"Hn." He replies, apathetic as always. You gesture helplessly to his leg, but he doesn't even glance at it. His eyes are fixed on the building that he cherished, now half destroyed. You follow his gaze silently, swallowing the lump that suddenly forms in your throat. "Sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, herbivore."

"No. I'm sorry about all the times I selfishly talked about your family, even though it was hurting you. I'm sorry I called you by Kuniumi-kun's name, even though it hurt you a lot. I'm so sorry..." The tears are falling faster now, curving down your cheeks. You swipe at them furiously. Hibari glares at you, hating you for crying. "I was so selfish!" You tell him, hugging him and pressing your face into his chest. To your surprise, he doesn't push you away immediately. He does stiffen, however, and after a few seconds he gently pries your arms off and push you away.

"Two of you! ARE YOU OKAY?" Your mother comes running up to the both of you. She grabs both you and Hibari and pull you both into a tight hug, making you gasp and giggle and Hibari scowl deeply.

"Hibari Kyoya, you come stay at our house." It was an order this time, not a request. Hibari doesn't do anything, still trying to detangle himself from your mother's death hug. You were pressed against him uncomfortably, still laughing. Your mother must be the only person in the whole town not deathly scared of Hibari Kyoya!

* * *

Hibari walks into your house as if he owns it. He is holding a simple bag in his hand, and you realize with a jolt that this is all that's left of his possessions. A simple few shirts and a few pairs of pants, and the clothes on his back. His pet bird chirps from the top of his head. Your mother taps her hands against the towel a few times to dry them and then direct him to the guest room where he'll be staying until the school gets repaired.

"This is your room, Kyoya! It's simple and really quite small." Considering that he had been living at the school itself all these years, your mother had supposed that Hibari would be glad to have an actual bed to sleep in. You had learnt that Hibari had been living at the school just two days ago, and it tore you apart. On the one hand, you wanted to laugh. It was ironic, Namimori's most powerful delinquent nothing more than a hobo in his own school. It also made you want to cry, thinking about the lonely hours spent within the building itself. Hibari must've stayed in the reception room all this time, because it used to be where his mother worked and his father held meetings, and his brother reported daily to ensure the school's peace and discipline. It was the place closest to his heart and his family, and now it's destroyed.

"I'm sure you won't make much noise, but please do be a bit quiet. She's sleeping upstairs, because she has a fever and hasn't been feeling too well." Hibari doesn't reply, face impassive as always. He glances up the stairs for a second and then works on tidying up his clothes, as if he had no intention of ever visiting you at all. Your mother gave him a smile.

"I'm going shopping now. I need to buy some groceries, and I'll also pick up a few bits and pieces for you, alright?" Hibari nods and she leaves, certain that the house will be safe with Hibari to protect it. Hibari crosses the room and goes to peer out the window. His room has a view of where his old house used to be, since you once had your house right across the street from theirs. He stands there for a few seconds, gazing at the empty plot of land that once used to be his home. And then he decides to visit you.

* * *

An icy hand is placed on your forehead. You lean into the touch. It feels good and soothing, relaxing almost. You open your eyes blearily, glaring at the owner of the hands.

"I see you've moved in already." You mutter. Hibari stares impassively down at you and then decides that he wants to feed you medicine. He's already saved you once, so why not twice? He goes to the cupboard and rummages for any pill bottles, carefully reading the inscriptions. You start to get incredibly nervous.

"Hibari? I don't need medicine. The doctor said that I just need water and...and some sleep. That's all. It's just a cold. Hibari, are you listening to me?"

"Eat this."

He shoves two pills into your mouth, and you gag. He then decides to ruthlessly pour a whole cup of water down your throat to wash the pills down. You start choking and sit up abruptly, patting your chest and hacking. "Wh...a..did you...gak! Give me?"

He stares at you, face as emotionless as ever. "Painkillers."

"I'm not in pain, you idiot." He grips your face. "What did you call me, herbivore?"

"Sorry, Kyoya-kun!" The name had slipped out before you could stop yourself. Your playful bantering had brought you back to the sweet childhood memories. You clap your hand over your mouth, wishing fervently that Hibari wouldn't take offense. To your surprise, he leans forward. He repeats his question, his voice low and dangerous. "What did you just call me?"

"Kyoya-kun..."

And then he was holding you tightly, almost as if he had never wanted to let go of you. His touch is familiar, a desperate mirror motion of all the friendly hugs you used to share as a child. All the friendly hugs before that incident happened and Kyoya grew up too fast for you to catch up to him. Hibari Kyoya was once lonely too. You rested comfortably against him, your hands stroking his hair in what you hoped was a soothing gesture.

_I haven't forgotten you. _He wanted to say.

He didn't say anything.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed the previous chapter with Verde: **Phantom Hitman 1412, Rane Kurodo, celestial-ways-of-life, VongolaViv, Clair Kingsleigh, xkaiistarx and Ryanrene97.**

Again, check out my new story 'Stowaway' and drop a quick review on what you think! Thank you, everyone!


	4. Alaude

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
Rating: T  
Genre: Miscellaneous, but mostly drama and romance.  
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Please understand that I have to revise for the SATs soon (yes, even though I'm taking it in October next year, my parents want me to start revising it now), so I may not be able to update as frequently as I have been doing so for the past few weeks. Please understand! Thanks, and sorry for the delay, all of you who are waiting for me to finish your requests!

Somehow, this turned out to be very plot driven, and quite dramatic. I hope you don't mind, dear readers. I tried to slip in some humor as well!

Alaude x Reader was requested by **celestial-ways-of-life.**

* * *

Alaude x Reader

* * *

The smell of coffee permeates the air. The rich aroma spreads throughout the room tantalizingly, making your stomach growl. Unfortunately, this coffee was strictly off limits.

You mix in just the right amount of coffee granules, a spoonful of milk and half a spoonful of sugar. He liked his coffee just right, not to sweet and not too dark. After stirring the drink for a few seconds, you pick up the steaming mug gingerly. Walking to the door of his office, you knock gently and wait for him to come and open it.

"What."

As rude and brusque as ever. Though his looks had gained quite an amount of attention from his admirers, his cold nature always drove everyone else away from him. It didn't really matter to him that he was all alone. He was a solitary, independent man.

"Your coffee, Alaude-san." You addressed him with a Japanese honorific not necessarily because you were Japanese, but because you didn't know how else to address him. Somehow, Mr. Alaude, or Monsieur Alaude didn't sound right to you, even though he's French. He nodded once, taking the cup out of your hands. The door is soon shut in your face. You found yourself staring at the wooden paneling for a few seconds. What lies beyond those doors, you wonder? Alaude had never let anyone come into his working office before, and you were quite curious about it. You wonder what it looks like. When it comes to interior architecture design, you were quite the geek. You were obsessed with finding beautiful rooms and often sketched designs in your free time.

Sighing, you walk back towards the small coffee machine, located just down the hall. You had left your files there, having used both hands to offer the coffee to Alaude. With the file, you went back to your usual work place, the secretarial desk near the front of the building. There you sat for quite a while, doodling onto a notepad. Until the phone rings, you really had nothing else to do.

The phone rings, loud peals shocking you from your doodling.

"Hello, this is Vongola CEDEF headquarters, how may I help you?"

The phone was heavy, made out of a clunky metal. The person on the other end of the line didn't say much, simply stating that he wanted to see the head of the organization. You sigh softly to yourself. Why were the people on the phone always so boring and unenthusiastic? In all the years that you had worked here, you had never once picked up a call where the caller had sounded in any way happy...Well, except for a man by the name of 'Knuckles', who had laughed boisterously upon hearing your voice, and then asked whether you were going out with Alaude. You had almost hung up on the man, blushing furiously, but you prided yourself on the fact that you were able to inform 'Knuckles' that you were only a secretary at the CEDEF headquarters. By then, Alaude had appeared and had snatched the phone away from your fingers, giving you a stern glare.

Today was no different. The man on the other end of the line informed you that he would like to file a report. The man refused to tell you what the report was about, saying that it was confidential information for Alaude's eyes and ears only. You sigh. _Let's all bully the secretary and keep information from her, shall we? _You had half a mind to go ask Alaude to pick up the phone himself. Instead, you duly took note of his name and the time that he called, before putting the case file away in a tray for Alaude to inspect later.

You didn't realize how deeply you had fallen for him until Alaude brought back a girlfriend for the first time. Rumors started flying and you managed to get a glimpse of her yourself. She was smart and beautiful, and apparently she also knew how to fight, which was what had sparked his interest in the first place. You found your heart burning with an unfamiliar emotion as you watched her head into his office. When you went over to give Alaude the coffee later, it was the unnamed beauty who opened the door and took the coffee cup, sharp nails clicking against the porcelain.

"Thank you." She smiles. You give her a sullen look. Her perfume overrides the smell of the coffee. She tries to close the door, but then you jam a foot between the door and the threshold.

"What's your name?" It came out friendlier than you intended. You smile at her and resist the urge to cough at the sickly sweet perfume surrounding her. The woman flicked you on the forehead, as if you were a little child. She smirked at you, and you couldn't help but notice the uncanny similarity between her smirk and Alaude's stern, unsmiling tilt of his lips. "Why would you want to know?"

Alaude came to the door then. He put a hand on her shoulder, and your gaze instantly redirected to his movement. Jealousy raged against confusion in your heart. You could feel the woman's cold, hostile look directed at you. _No. That's definitely not his girlfriend. She's emitting this distant aura...scary..._

"Leave." You shiver at his voice slightly. He doesn't seem to have noticed your uncomfortable state. Something is going to happen. Something bad. You dip your head and avoid his glare, scampering back to your work station. You could feel his eyes boring into your back as you leave, and then the door clicks shut.

* * *

"Hello, this is the Vongola CEDEF headquarters, how may I help you?"

The man babbled incoherently. You sigh. _Shouldn't cases like these be going to the police? If it's an emergency, then..._You ask him to calm down and he takes a few big gulps. He sounds young, panicked. You listen to him patiently. Apparently, there was a gang fight and his friends got caught up in it. He was taking shelter behind a rubbish bin while gunfire rattled all around him. You get up and knock on Alaude's door. The gang had identified themselves as a rival Mafia group, but they had not specified which family. This was an issue that should be addressed immediately.

You knew you were working for a Mafia family, but it didn't shock you in the slightest. At least this family, the 'Vongola' family, had its sense of justice screwed on in a relatively correct direction. At least you supposed so. The existence of CEDEF should prove that. All in all, you rather fancied that you were working at a police station rather than a headquarters for illegal criminals.

"Alaude-san?"

There is no answer. The room sounds eerily quiet. You place one hand on the door knob. Your hands are sweaty with nervousness. Alaude had incredibly sharp hearing. There's no way he could've missed your call. Heart pounding, you push open the door slowly, almost dreading what would meet your line of vision.

The smell of blood hit you. Even though you were only the secretary of this organization, and a temporary one at that, you've seen your fair share of fights. People have come storming into headquarters without even saying a word to you, and then started yelling for Alaude to come out. Alaude had always warned you to keep your head low whenever something like this happened, and you always listened to him, ducking your head below the desk. One or two times, people have come over and swiped the stuff off your desk, smashed the phone on the floor, or tried to deal some damage to you yourself when they found you hiding behind it. Alaude had always come out to sort them out properly before they could touch you though. Oftentimes, these fights had ended with a bit of bloodshed, but nothing major. You longed to hear his calm voice now, telling you what to do, his arm pushing you behind his back so that his enemies couldn't get to you.

"A..a-alaude-s..san?" He was there, lying in a pool of his own blood. His eyes are closed. The nameless girl lay a few meters away, a pair of handcuffs clamped around her neck with spikes poking into her skin. You blanched. It was a horrible sight. The stench of blood became overwhelming, and you bring your hand up to cover your nose.

Tears streamed down your eyes, partly because the smell was overwhelming and disgusting, partly because you were scared and partly because you believed Alaude was dead. You walked over to him and gently touched his cheek. He was cold, his skin was pale.

Imagine your surprise when his eyes snapped open.

You let out a choked cry of surprise. He regarded you calmly, his ice blue eyes showing no pain or shock. He waited until you've subsided in your sobbing and then fixed you with a stern glare. It was so familiar that you had to resist the urge to laugh. Here he was, Alaude, nearly dead, and all he could think of was to glare at you until you shut up.

"...Go..."

He didn't have to tell you twice. You shot out of the room, pausing only to note that Alaude's favorite coffee mug lay on the floor in pieces. Then you were gone.

* * *

"Is he going to be alright?" Three minutes after you had phoned for the Vongola ambulance, the medics were already carrying Alaude on a stretcher and into the back of the vehicle. The Vongola had their own hospital, so that their scuffles wouldn't be reported to the law. The mafia had their own laws. A body disposal unit had already been dispatched to clear away the body of the unnamed woman. You had felt slightly sad for her, until you were told that she was the one who had shot Alaude. Apparently, she had been sent on another rival Famiglia's behalf for negotiations. It was also part of her mission to try and seduce Alaude. Unfortunately for her, Alaude wasn't having any of it. And that's when she pulled out the pistol she had hidden under her shirt. She and Alaude had had a fight, but the pistol had a silencer attached and Alaude had not wanted to draw attention, so you had not noticed anything out of the ordinary until the fight had ended half an hour later.

Alaude was still awake, and his calming gaze was still fixated on you. You felt embarrassed all of a sudden. His blood was staining the front of your shirt and some of your pants. The medics let you into the back of the ambulance as well, asking if you had any injuries. When you replied no, they left you to sit in silence. Alaude was still looking up at you. There was something unrecognizable in his eyes, though you thought it was something close to quiet respect.

"Wh-what h-happened?"

He shook his head slightly and closed his eyes. You immediately gripped his hand. "Don't close your eyes! You might die!"

His eyelid flickers enough to give you an exasperated look before he closes them again. The steady rise and fall of his chest showed you that he was still alive. All the paramedics looked at you with amusement. "He's not going to die, young lady. We patched up the wound already and stopped the blood flow. It was a good thing that you found him early on. He might have died had you found him a mere few minutes later."

You turned ashen at the information. It was a good thing there was a riot then...  
"Excuse me, I need to get off the ambulance!" You glance out the window and see that you've just passed the opening of the street where the riot was reported to have been. There were still a few shadows slinking around down the lane, and if you strained your eyes, you could see brief flashes of light. The gunfire might still be going on.

Alaude tiredly opened his eyes at your voice once more. The paramedics gave you a bemused look. "What for, young lady?"

"There's a riot going on down the street!"

"That is best left for the police to deal with..."

"But they said that they were enemies to the Vongola! Someone should at least get a scope of the situation!"

They couldn't argue with that. If enemy Famiglia was on their turf, then something serious was going on. Primo and G were probably already there, and so the paramedics reluctantly slowed down and opened the door for you to jump out. You gave Alaude an apologetic glance and jumped, hitting the ground at a run.

* * *

Alaude sighed and lay his head back onto the pillow. The paramedics started whispering among themselves, but after Alaude gave them another stern glare, they fell silent. The rest of the trip to the hospital was spent in silence, save for the beeping of his portable heart rate monitor. Alaude appreciated the peace, but it was almost too silent for his taste. He found himself yearning for your warmth beside him, and even your incessantly chattery nature. He shuffled slightly under the heavy blankets. The painkillers were having an effect on his mental state, he reasoned with himself. He would never have wanted to associate himself with chatterbox weaklings like yourself otherwise. The medicine was also making him drowsy and incoherent.

Alaude was just about to drift off to sleep once more before he remembered a very important detail. The girl who had come to seduce him was from the Crudele Famiglia. They were known for committing crimes of horrifying intensity, and had often massacred civilians. They were also notorious for starting gang warfare on the Vongola turf and leaving before the Vongola Guardians arrived on the scene, evidently wanting to cause trouble inside Vongola territory. This was one of the reasons why he had not accepted the peace offering brought by the unnamed assassin from the Crudele family. It was dangerous to form an alliance with such an unruly group.

Could the two be linked?

If so...then your life was probably in danger. For the first time in his life, Alaude cursed his helplessness. It wasn't often that he felt helpless, but this was one of them.

* * *

"You're not going to tell anyone about this, you hear me?"

He was breathing down your face. His breath smelt a thousand times worse than rotten eggs. A cigarette was clenched lightly between his fingers. He leaned closer, so close that your noses were almost touching. You whimper and twist away from him, but he had a firm grip on your collar.

The attempt at helping had gone disastrously from the start. You found the young man hiding behind the can. Well, you had thought he was a young man. Instead, he turned out to be a thug who just so happened to have the ability to raise his voice a little to sound convincingly like a younger adult. He had immediately grabbed you and slammed you against the wall a few times, and then leaned against the bricks while you had shaken your head to get your thoughts straight once more. Alaude's voice kept on weaving in and out of your thoughts. He given you his longest speech after the first attack on the CEDEF headquarters. _"Foolish, weakling. You don't fight anyone bigger than you. You have no fighting experience at all. If you see anyone bigger coming through the doors with a murderous look on their face, then the only thing you can do is hide."_

You cursed your kindhearted nature. You had instinctively wanted to help the young man over the phone once you had heard that he was in danger. His voice had tricked you into thinking that he was an innocent civilian caught in the crossfire between two rivalling gangs. You had let the fact that the fight was started by a Mafia family pass over your head completely. How foolish. _How idiotic, _Alaude would say to you.

There was a ring of covered metal around your neck. It was a collar that the man had taken the liberty to put on you while you were still stumbling about, disorientated. It seemed like soft leather on the outside, decorated as if it were an ornament to be worn casually, and was dark in color. But inside you could feel the metallic interior. The metal was cold to your flesh. The man had informed you that the collar would be impossible to take off, because he had used something to weld the metal together before you had gotten your bearings right. The collar would be for surveillance. They had tapped it with something, and it was also linked to a contraption that their boss had made. If you made a wrong move, the boss would immediately know and zap you with the high voltage that was stored within the band. You vaguely wonder how they had gotten their hands on such high tech equipment.

You were scared. Here you were, a light and defenseless girl who had no combat experiences save for the few times Alaude had taught you how to work a pair of handcuffs just in case you needed to do so. The pair of handcuffs were left on the topmost drawer in the desk back at the office. You were in such a hurry to get Alaude to the hospital that you hadn't thought of taking the weapon at all.

"Did you get what I said?"

He shook you a few more times, and then dropped you. You wince and scramble to your feet, backing away slowly. He grabs you by the collar again. "You still haven't answered my que-"

A loud boom shook the ground. He lets go of you in shock as a sword is suddenly pressed to his throat. "That's no way to treat a lady." Asari Ugetsu steps out, giving you a carefree grin while pinning the man to the wall by the tip of his sword. You cough back shakily, your hand going to touch the collar. The man gave you a warning glare.

_There are subordinates stationed all around this area, disguised in civilian clothes. If you step out of line even once, the boss will know about it, and you'll be shocked. Do you understand?_

You understood all too well. The rest of the Vongola quickly arrived, G on the front with his arrows, and Knuckles and Giotto close behind him and backing him up with their fists. Asari was in charge of taking you back to the Vongola Headquarters and ensuring that you didn't get hurt. He decided to rendezvous to the hospital first, partly because you had requested to see Alaude again, and partly because you were also covered in bruises from the brief beating that had been dished out.

And from that night onwards, you were double-crossing the Vongola and betraying Alaude. The band around your neck was relaying information to the enemy. You felt extremely frustrated and traitorous. How could you even face him now?

* * *

Alaude was woken rather rudely from his nap when the rest of the Vongola Guardians and Vongola Primo barged into his room. He opened his eyes, irritated, as the family started chattering right away. Asari was the first one to approach him, as always. Alaude only tolerated the existence of the man because he was the calmest out of the lot, though he could sometimes be slightly (and annoyingly) airheaded.

"How are you feeling, Alaude-san?" They had known each other for years, and still Asari used the honorific. Asari had just gotten used to calling Alaude by his first name only, as was protocol in Italy, but whenever the situation was serious and the Japanese man didn't want to joke around, he always used honorifics. This seemed to be a quirk of the nature of the Japanese flute player. Alaude had a vague notion that you picked that habit up from him. Asari was also polite around Alaude because he knew that Alaude would be less likely to get when irritated when people addressed him politely.

Alaude sighed. "Fine. Now leave."

Asari laughed. "Alright. I suppose it's alright if you have your secretary in the same hospital with you." Alaude's glare turned sharper.

"What happened?"

"She was just roughed up a bit, but nothing serious happened. G and I got there before anything major happened. She's just here for a bit to get some bandages for the cuts." Alaude saw red. You were an idiot, in his eyes, and his respect for you had just fallen even more. What kind of idiot got themselves hurt while trying to help someone else? Alaude denied the worry that he felt for your wellbeing and almost got out of bed to shake some sense into you. It was only Asari's firmly but gently restraining hand that kept him in the hospital bed. He gave the Japanese man a murderous glare, but Asari managed to ignore it.

"Mah! Don't be like that. Rest up first. She's fine."

The rest of the guardians stared at Alaude. Was it them or did they just hear a mention of Alaude actually worrying about someone? Alaude gave them all a cold stare before turning his back on them and promptly going to sleep. He had neither the energy nor the will to deal with the rowdy Vongola group right now.

* * *

"Hello, this is Vo-"

You were cut off by sharp screeching and what sounded like the smashing of glass. You hold the receiver away from your ear and wince as the noise continued to sound out. As soon as the chaos seemed to be over, you tentatively press the phone back against your ear. "Hello?"

"There's a cockroach in my house!"

"Excuse me, but that's a job for the ext-"

The screaming continued. You sigh as you hang up. That person evidently had the wrong information. The collar around your neck chafed against your skin as you turn to get up from your seat at the desk. It was 8 am in the morning, much too early to deal with cockroaches and screaming ladies.

You make your way to the coffee machine as per usual. You turn it on and smile when you hear the familiar whirring noises. This coffee machine seems to be especially faithful, having been around for about five years already. It had scratches on it, and looked slightly worse for the wear, but was still working fine, to your disbelief. You've come to dub it the 'indestructible coffee maker'. Behind Alaude's back, of course. To his face, it was always 'Alaude-san's coffee maker'. How preposterous, that you had to address even the platinum haired man's coffee maker so politely. Alaude was OCD about his coffee, you can attest to that. Once, you had come into the office slightly later than usual, and another staff member had made Alaude's coffee that morning. Later on, Alaude met you in the corridors, and had instantly demanded that you drop whatever you're doing and make him a cup. You had gaped at him and then asked whether he already drank one this morning. He went into his office, slammed the door, and then came back holding a full mug.

"It wasn't mixed properly." He had informed you, and you had to pour the perfectly good coffee down the sink and make him another cup. You didn't tell him that you had secretly taken a sip that day to see what was wrong. Alaude didn't need to know that. _There wasn't anything wrong with the coffee. _

And so, you were the CEDEF headquarter's official secretary as well as Alaude's official coffee maker. It was all quite troublesome, but you hadn't minded back then. Now...you avoided going near Alaude at all costs. If the Crudele Family had bugged you with something, they are most likely after information about the Vongola, and you didn't want any information about Alaude to fall into their hands.

"Alaude-san." You showed up at his door at exactly 8:10 am each day to hand him his cup of daily coffee. Alaude opened the door and gave you the same stern glare that he gives you every day before taking the coffee mug out of your hands. He paused, and you froze. He inspected the new cup carefully and then gave you a silently questioning glance. You blushed, because you had bought him the new cup and had secretly hoped that he would actually thank you for it. It was wishful thinking. Out of all the years that you've worked for him, you hadn't once heard him express thanks in any way to anyone. The closest you've come is a nod of approval, and that only happened when you managed to handcuff yourself to his doorknob and he had left you there for hours until you've worked out how to get out of them with the key he left just out of your reach. You swear, sometimes the man infuriated you to no ends. He was deliberately teasing you sometimes, and it annoyed you even more when he would always give you the same straight poker face whenever you tried to get him back. He knew that sooner or later, you would give up anyway.

He took the mug without another word. Your face fell slightly. You were hoping at least for that elusive nod of approval. You would've even settled for a smirk. But nothing came out of your surprise present for him. Suddenly, Alaude turned back. You held your breath. Maybe this was it. He opened his mouth.

"What's that around your neck? It's hideous."

You turned beet red at his comment and turned away immediately. You couldn't tell him, you couldn't take it off. Catch 22.

He grabbed you by the leather collar, his thumb running along the soft fabric gently. You freeze, the hair on the back of your neck standing up at his soft touch. His fingers ghosted over your skin and you sway slightly out of his reach. "Nothing!" You splutter out, glancing back just enough to catch his disappointed and disapproving gaze. _It's hideous. _You blush angrily. It's not like you wanted it to be put there!

Alaude was left standing in the doorway of his office. He swore he felt metal underneath all the leather covering. It gave him an uneasy thought, but he pushed it away. It must be some stupid decorative accessory that you were wearing to impress him. Hopefully you would take it off soon, because you looked really stupid with a leather collar around your neck. He wondered what the others thought of you with the leather collar on and quickly reasoned that you were probably bringing down the reputation of the CEDEF foundation.

* * *

You roll out of bed before the alarm goes off. The clock on the wall showed 9:30 am, and you stretched leisurely.

Saturday meant that you didn't have to go to work and deal with the stoic blonde. You briefly wonder what Alaude would do to get his morning fix of coffee, and sniggered quietly at an image of Alaude trying to work the coffee machine himself.

You got yourself a bowl of cereal and chowed down while watching the news on your small television. Your eyes widened as you found yourself staring at a picture of the very man who had put the collar on you. His dead body, that is. According to the reporter, he was found with various puncture wounds in his neck and had been thrown into the river. They didn't find any DNA on him, nor could they identify the dead man himself. The authorities are currently going crazy over the issue, stating that they would like anyone to step up and provide any sort of evidence for what they called an 'atrociously difficult murder'. You shake your head. You knew who it was, of course. Alaude's handcuffs were lethal in the way that they could clamp around a limb and the spikes would poke into the most vital veins. You've seen images of Alaude's victims before, and the image of the dead woman was still fresh in your mind. No doubt this murder was Alaude's handiwork. You wondered what his motive is.

Your phone rings and you amble over slowly to pick it up, running your hand through your hair self-consciously as you saw your reflection as you passed a mirror. It was a private number. "Hello?" It felt weird not to add that this was the Vongola CEDEF headquarters.

"I assume you've seen the news."

You freeze. "W..wh..."

"You know me indirectly. One of my subordinates tagged you with the collar, didn't he?" You nod and then realize that he wouldn't be able to see you through the phone. You swallowed thickly, your throat constricting as you tried to keep your panic in check. The collar, which you had managed to ignore for the past three weeks, felt like it was tightening around your neck. A leash.

"Yes...I have." You cursed yourself internally as you heard your voice waver.

"Did you inform the Vongola Cloud of this arrangement?"

"N..no..."

"Good. Otherwise I would have to kill you." You whimper slightly and the unknown man laughs at your terror. The click and buzz of someone hanging up rang in your ear soon after. You put the phone back down in a daze. Well, your morning was ruined now.

You toss on some clothes and get out of the house. The apartment had started to feel oppressive and you felt the need to get out to get some fresh air. At least, outside, you would feel less lonely, with people walking around on the streets all the time. You bump into a couple as you walk up the street, and you quickly apologize, bowing to them. They give you a small smile and assured you that it was nothing, and quickly went on their merry way. You felt even more miserable. Why did this have to happen to you of all people? What would Alaude do when he finally found out that you've been keeping this information from him? Alaude hated it when people kept information from him, or when people lied to him.

You caught sight of a small cake shop. On impulse, you decide to enter the store and order something. Cake at 10 am in the morning wasn't very healthy, but you needed some sugar in your system right now.

"...Alaude-san?"

You catch sight of the antisocial blonde sitting in a corner of the shop, the newspaper spread in front of him neatly. You smiled wryly when you saw that he had a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. So it seemed that Alaude really couldn't go one day without his caffeine.

You walk over slowly. Alaude catches your movement out of the corner of his eye and look up. He fixes his gaze on your neck, and you blush self-consciously. _It's hideous. _"What are you doing here?" You ask him softly, trying to slide into the seat opposite him. He stops you with a glare, obviously not welcoming any company. You cough awkwardly, dangling on the arm of the sofa, and quickly straighten up, looking away. Why are all your encounters so embarrassing?

"Reading." He replied matter-of-factly. You flush even deeper. _Of course. Why else would he have the newspaper in front of him? _You look down and see that his hand is currently resting on the article talking about the death of the man who had tagged you. You flinch unconsciously, and Alaude's steely eyes were on you in a minute. You knew something, and he knew that you knew.

"Come with me." He leaves the money on the table and drags you out of the store, pulling you into an alley next to the building.

"You." He digs his fingers into the collar and gives it an experimental yank. You cry out, your cry choking off as you feel the metal band digging into your throat. Alaude lets go of you quickly, giving you another confused glance before running his finger along the collar again. You started wearing the collar soon after you had jumped from his ambulance. This meant that you had started wearing the collar after you had gotten involved with the gang. Alaude berated himself mentally for not finding the connection earlier. He had assumed that it was nothing of importance, but the more he thought about this restraining collar around your neck, the more he was certain that something was wrong. Yesterday, he had finally caught the man who had tagged you, and had tortured the information out of him before throwing him into the river. The information had initiated both a sense of worry and urgency within Alaude. He had realized that this was because he was worried about you, and that hadn't improved his mood in any way.

You catch sight of a civilian staring at the two of you from the opening of the alleyway. You blush instinctively; you and Alaude must be in a very compromising position. But the embarrassment soon turned into panic as you see the man raise a mobile phone to his ear.

_We'll have subordinates stationed as civilians to monitor you._

_We'll electrocute you._

_Alaude's finger is on the metal band._

"NO!" You cry out, shoving the skylark away from you with all your strength. You could feel his surprise as he stumbled backwards, but that small gesture had been enough.

And then came the pain.

* * *

Alaude's eyes widened a fraction as he felt the force of your shove. He didn't know that such a thin, light girl would be able to even budge him. He let out a low growl, more in astonishment than anger, but his growl quickly cut off as you let out a strangled scream.

_What in the world is going on?_

You writhed on the floor as the volts arched through your body. Alaude stepped back, bewildered, as you let out another shrilly, choked howl of pain. For the first time in his life, the self-confident, independent platinum haired man was at loss for what to do. It only took a minute, and then it was over. Alaude smelt burnt flesh and hair. He reached forward and gently shook your shoulder.

"Wake up."

Even in his state of panic, he managed to make his voice sound calm. A crowd was gathered around the two of you, and someone had called for an ambulance. Alaude ignored the crowd and tentatively stretched out to touch you again. A small spark of electricity arched from the collar around your neck, making Alaude pull his hand back. And then he knew. He pulled you into your arms quickly and started sawing at the collar with his metallic handcuffs. He was getting paranoid. What had you seen over your shoulder that had given you that split second to know that you were going to be zapped? Alaude knew you had most likely saved his life. With the pain from his bullet wound and his heart working hard to replenish the lost blood from his accident, an electric shock like the one that had just passed through you would've stopped his heart completely. Nonetheless, Alaude continued to work away at the collar. The metal had been welded together, and he could see that the skin underneath the band was reddened and looked like it was going to blister.

His irritation and frustration flared, and his handcuffs burst into flames. The flames started slicing through the metal as easily as if it were butter. He hated the way you were a dead weight in his arms. Hated the way that you were limp and you didn't even move, even as sparks arched along your exposed and injured skin.

He refused to believe that you were dead.

* * *

"Hello, this is the CEDEF headquarters of the Vongola, how may I help you?"

Alaude paused. _Hello, this is the Vongola CEDEF headquarters. _It sounded wrong, the words were in the wrong order. The new secretary did not know how to make coffee. He sighed inaudibly and headed back into his office to work. He closed the door and surveyed the interior of the office. He had seen your sketches before and had confiscated a great many of them when he had saw that you were sketching on the job. Soon, he came to realize that you really loved interior design, and had wanted to ask you to redecorate his office after the disastrous event with the woman of the Crudele Family.

The office is all fixed now. The carpeting had been replaced, as the previous carpet had been stained through with blood. Alaude sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. He recalled the terrifying moments on the streets after you had been electrocuted. He snapped open his eyes once more and quickly strode out of the office, waving away the new secretary who had been getting ready to knock on the door with a steaming cup of imperfect coffee.

He left the building, turned right and entered a flower shop. He came out holding a bunch of flowers. Nobody gave him a second glance. Nobody dared to.

He walked into the hospital as if he owned the place. He technically did, as Vongola was the founding company for this particular branch. He took the elevator instead of the stairs, closing the door quickly before anyone else could follow him in. He hated crowding.

Exiting on the fourth floor, he walked into the farthest left room. The cold air hit him immediately. He felt stupid for bringing the flowers now. It was uncharacteristic of him to be this thoughtful, but he thought you deserved it.

"A...alaude-san..."

You were there, sitting up in the hospital bed. He quickly walked over and lay the bunch of flowers across your lap. You laugh softly and he gently stroked the red line across your neck. It looked painful, and you winced when his cool fingers came in touch with the sensitive skin. It was still quite blistered, and he quickly stopped. His face hovered over yours for a short second, and you blushed under the intensity of his gaze. He sighed softly, his breath fanning over your cooled skin. His lips brushed your forehead gently and you smile and lean into his touch. How would you have ever known that surviving an electrocution would gain the attention you had so yearned for?

With shaking hands, you reach out and hold his hand. He doesn't move away, but he does stiffen. You stifle a chuckle. Even though he claimed to have relaxed a lot in your presence, he was still the same old, stubborn and antisocial skylark. It upset you to think that he had resigned to being alone for the rest of his life, and you had made a new resolve to change his views. You thought Alaude was finally getting used to the idea of you in his life, but you weren't so sure.

"Where's my coffee."

A dry cough escape your lips once more. What gall, this man had, to ask you for coffee while you were injured in hospital. Giving him a wry smile, you reach into the cupboard under the bedside table and produce a warm flask of water. Every morning, you would hobble over to the receptionist's desk and ask them for the coffee maker. Strangely enough, they seemed to have it, the exact same model as the one that Alaude used in his office. You suspected it had something to do with the other Vongola Guardians, but you weren't going to argue.

You pour him a flask, your hands still shaking. Ever since the electrocution, you've been trying to get your nerves to work alright again. The doctors say that it was extremely lucky the electricity hadn't cut off your nerves altogether, but they did mess them up a little bit. With a bit of practice, you would be able to regain total control of your muscles again. Your hands wobble a bit, and Alaude gently places his palm over the back of your hand. He closes a fist over your smaller one, and guides the coffee gently into the cup once more. You offer it to him, the steaming liquid sloshing, your brows furrowing as you concentrated on keeping it straight.

"Coffee, Alaude-san."

He took a sip, and then, without warning, pressed the cup to your lips. You took a sip, smiling slightly.

An indirect kiss.

* * *

A/N: RIGHT! I hope you find that satisfactory, **celestial-ways-of-life. **You didn't specify a genre, so I hope you don't mind the mishmash of genres that has been included.

Many thanks to those who found the time to review! I really love your support, everyone. Thank you to **., Ryanrene97, , xkaiistarx, 666AnimeFan666, celestial-ways-of-life and ROFL123. **Thanks to all those who favorited and alerted, and for submitting requests!

The next one will be Irie Shoichi x reader.

Crudele - Cruel (Yes, I know. I'm lame. XD)  
By the way guys, a skylark's scientific name is _alauda arvensis_. Therefore, Alaude is a skylark too.

I would like to clarify something about requesting: You are allowed to request multiple characters! But you have to wait until the rest are written. For example, if you've just had your chapter written, you can request another in your next review, but you would wait until the list has exhausted and your turn comes up again. In other words, **the same reader can request again after your chapter has been written. **And you're also allowed to request a character that has already been written! This means that Gokudera, Verde, Hibari and Alaude are all available for request again. :3 Please review!


	5. Shoichi

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.  
Rating: K+ (Because Shoichi is too innocent!)  
Genre: Failed humor, lots of drama...  
A/N: This is rather AU. This is set in a school campus that is kinda like a boarding school (I've never been to one, so forgive me if some of the scenarios are inaccurate...) that all the characters attend. And even though it's humor...I can't help but mix in a bit of action. I'm sorry. OTL.

**Requested by VongolaViv. I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

Irie Shoichi x Reader

* * *

An owl hooted outside your bedroom window. The signal had been given. You sit up excitedly and combed your hair back a few times nervously with your right hand. You press one hand to the window and sigh at the coldness of the glass. Freedom lay just beyond the transparent material, and yet you still had to 'wait patiently' for the dorm inspector to pass your dorm. You glance at the clock. Three minutes after lights out.

You glance to the side to see that your roommate Chrome Dokuro was already sound asleep. Her short purple hair splayed against her pillow and her hands were tucked neatly under her chin. She looked so adorable, even in sleep. You decided against waking her up, even though she had told you that she could guide you to the meeting place. She looked so fragile, so weak. She looked like she needed her sleep. And besides, you were confident in your own abilities. You had the scribbled map from Chrome and you were confident that the map was all you needed to be able to find the way to the gathering.

The door creaked open and you dive under the covers, shuffling slowly so as to make it seem as if the matron assessing your room condition was disturbing your sleep. You cackle silently to yourself as the door creaks shut again and the matron hurries to another room. She wasn't a bad woman, the matron. You could tell that she genuinely cares for the girls; people only disliked her because she had an annoying tendency to be able to sniff out where people hide their phones underneath their beds. Luckily for you, your favorite teacher Reborn had given you some tips in the skills of stealth, and so you had cleverly hidden your mobile phone in a corner of a loose tile in the ceiling. You could see the metallic corner of the electronic only if you lay in the position you were currently in; stretched out on the bed, facing upwards towards the ceiling. The matron never even stood a chance of finding it.

The owl hoots again and you scoff. "Alright, Mukurowl! I got it."

You roll of the bed quickly and tap on the window twice. The 'swoosh' of flapping wings put a smile on your face. So it wasn't a fluke. You take out a bent paper clip and slide it smoothly into the window lock. A few turns and twists and the lock springs open. You push open the window and clamber out onto the ceramic tiles of the roof. Another neat trick that your teacher Reborn gifted you with. Reborn only parted with these so called 'words of wisdom' because he deemed you a worthy student. You smirk quietly. So far, only you and that Sawada kid in your class seemed to have noticed that Reborn-sensei, as he liked to be called, is kinda off his rocker. Who else would bring a gun into class and point them at anyone who walks in the door late?

The cold ceramic felt good against your bare feet. You put out your arms and stuck out your tongue to the wind, childishly. You honestly didn't care if anyone saw you right now. You got your taste of forbidden midnight freedom and you would be happy to clamber back into your bedroom and close the window.

Except that you had to show up at the meeting to consider it official. You wanted to meet the elusive, smooth talking Mukuro that Chrome had often told you about. Mukuro is Chrome's brother and she sounded awfully proud of the fact.

Willing your feet to continue moving and pressing a hand against your chest, you continue onwards. A sudden flutter of wings sound to your immediate right and you gasp in shock. You wheel your arms to keep your balance and run forward. You look ridiculous for a moment, your arms stretched out ahead of you and your feet pattering desperately along the ceramic roof, suspended and awkward like a newborn bird just learning how to fly.

Finally reaching your destination, you drop onto a windowsill and pull yourself into the room, gasping. You land on someone's stomach and the person sits up immediately, throwing you into the wall by accident. You squeak upon impact and roll off the bed gracelessly, pulling his blankets off as well.

The boy sits up. "W...Who?" You clutch your head and whimper pathetically. Suddenly, you felt someone lift you by the back of your nightshirt. The unknown assailant bundles you against the cold wall. You gasp as someone shines a torch in your eyes.

"Who is this, Sho-chan?"

What had started out as a dare quickly turned into one of your worst fears. Somehow, you had gotten yourself stuck in the boy's part of this boarding school. Which didn't bode well for you at all, since you have no idea how to get around this part of the school. Not to mention some of your fellow classmates had been feeding you rumors of a demon that haunts the halls of the boy's side of the school; a demon with dark hair and silver eyes and silver sticks that promise pain.

You squirm in unknown teenager's grasp. Suddenly, you lash out and catch him in the knee. He drops you and laughs, backing away. "Alright, alright. I won't hurt you."

You didn't trust his tone one bit. Where is this Mukuro when you need him? Chrome had first introduced you to the mysterious indigo-haired male, but only through descriptions. You haven't actually ever met Mukuro in person before, but you've heard his voice when Chrome puts his calls on speaker. The first thing you had noticed about the unknown male's voice was that he sounded a lot like Mukuro, suave voice and all. But he's missing the creepy 'Kufufus' that Mukuro liked to put in his conversations, and he also sounded a lot lighter, friendlier almost. Not that that was any reason to let down your guard. He leans into the light and you see that his hair is completely white. His narrow eyes are surprisingly friendly and he sports a purple mark under his left eye. He studies you carefully.

"Mukuro!" You finally splutter out, face turning red at the close proximity of his face. He tuts and shakes his head.

"The name's Byakuran. The guy you're looking for occupies the room across from ours." He sticks out a hand and you shake it hesitantly. Byakuran tosses a thumb in the other male's direction. The other person fumbles sleepily with his glasses and leans forward into the light as well. You smile slightly upon seeing that drool marks his face. His hair is a vibrant red color.

"That's Sho-chan."

"Sho-chan?" You try the name on your tongue cautiously. Shoichi flushes and his skin now matches the color of his hair. He waves his arms around in a weak form of non-verbal protest. You stare at him for a bit and then start laughing. Byakuran quickly slings an arm over your shoulder and clamps his hand over your mouth. You gasp.

"Shh! You don't want the demon head prefect to hear you! He's also in Mukuro's roo-" Without warning, you found yourself tossed onto 'Sho-chan's bed. 'Sho-chan' quickly throws his blankets over you and pushes you behind him. You blush a brilliant crimson and thank divine powers that nobody can see you flushing this brilliantly in the darkness of the room.

The door swung open with a loud clang. You bravely peek out of a corner of the blankets. A dark-haired male stepped into the room, radiating a murderous aura.

"Byakuran Gesso, Irie Shoichi. Do you wish to be bitten to death?"

Byakuran casually opens a drawer and pulls out a pack of marshmallows. Your stomach grumbles and the ebony-haired male turned in your direction. 'Sho-chan' quickly covers for you by clutching his stomach. "S..sorry, Hibari-san! I didn't...really eat much at dinner today...so..."

Byakuran pops the pack with a smug grin on his face. Hibari's attention is diverted to the male's confident stature once again. Byakuran tilts the bag in Hibari's direction. "Would you like some, Head Prefect?"

If possible, Hibari's deadly aura seems to have intensified. You could feel Shoichi quivering under his blankets. You pat his back to calm him down, resisting the urge to quake in your pajamas yourself. So he was the legendary demon that everyone was talking about!

"Byakuran Gesso, eating is not allowed in dorms after lights out..." His eyes flicker to Shoichi, and he smirks as he cranes his neck back to look straight into your eyes. "Sneaking girlfriends into your dorm is also not conforming to school rules. I'll bite you to death." A pair of shiny sticks appeared in his hand. Your eyes widen and you shuffle out from behind Shoichi. You were discovered already, so what does it matter? You were more interested in finding out how Mr. Houdini Head Prefect had managed to make those scary looking weapons appear out of thin air.

"How did you.."

"Kufufu~ What's all the ruckus?"

Hibari swings around, his tonfas flashing in the torchlight. Mukuro parries it quickly with one hand, lifting his other hand to smother a yawn. "Oya, oya! I know you have a fetish for biting, but you need not run around at night biting others. I'm already having trouble sleeping with all the partying noises coming from down the hall."

Hibari was gone in a flash. Mukuro smirked and pinched a marshmallow from Byakuran's bag. "He fell for it again. Hook, line and sinker. Kufufufu~"

"Muku-chan, you really shouldn't bait him like this." Byakuran's smile doesn't match his words at all. Judging from the expression on the face, it almost seems as if he wished he was the one who was clever enough to think of tricking the prefect like this.

"Well then?" Mukuro turns to you and you smile back at him.

"You're Chrome's brother, right?"

Mukuro chuckled and brushed your cheek with one hand. "Yes, I am. Does she talk of me a lot?" You blush unintentionally and turn your gaze away. Not ten minutes have past and you've already been embarrassed two different times by three different guys. Not a good record for you, a known goody goody who doesn't really like interacting with members of the opposite gender simply because you get really shy. And did you mention that you blushed a lot?

You nod and back away from Mukuro, only to find your legs brushing against Shoichi's bed. Abruptly, you plop down on his mattress. "Uh..I really should be going back to my own dorm now...I'm quite..." You fake a yawn, pressing your hand to your mouth. "I'm quite tired, so..."

"Oya, we haven't played our customary 'truth or dare' game yet! It's a must for all newcomers." Mukuro shuffled over to the door, blocking off one path. You scramble backwards towards the window. Of course, with the demon head prefect wondering around outside, you weren't going to try the school corridors as an escape route anytime soon.

"Um...I'll just leave the way I came." You place one hand on the window latch and tug. It doesn't budge. Panicking slightly, you flail your arms uselessly and accidentally punch Shoichi in the face. He groans and grabs his injured cheek. You gasp and shuffle over, muttering apologies, while Mukuro and Byakuran look on, thoroughly amused.

"We should consider inviting more people. Just so that this party can get livelier." Byakuran nods and swings the door open.

"Head prefect~" He calls, way to happily for a man about to be beaten to death with a tonfa. "Wanna join our party here? I'm sure you already put an end to the party down the hall, Hibari Kyoya! You can come and enjo-"

The silver stick came hurtling into the room, as predicted. Byakuran ducks. Mukuro dodges. By some miracle, the clumsy you managed to be in a position that the tonfa misses by a mile. Poor Shoichi gets it straight in his stomach. You gasp again as he doubles over and starts groaning. You smile slightly when you hear a mixture of weird words come out of his mouth; "Chicken nugget, cupcakes, fudge brownies, pineapples..." As Mukuro wrestles with the furious head prefect, Byakuran tells you that Irie Shoichi is so well behaved a boy that he doesn't swear. Somehow, the thought of Irie being a goody goody similar to you are places another blush on your face.

* * *

"Mukuro, your move."

"HIIIEE! Don't choose me!"

"Kufufufu~ I can't predict when the bottle is going to stop spinning anyway."

"I bet you rigged it, you illusionist bastard!"

"...Kamikorosu."

"E...eeeh! Hibari-san is getting angry!"

"Maa, maa! Hibari, just have a good time! There's nothing to get angry over!"

"Hahi! He's becoming dangerous, desu!"

Before you knew it, the small group had become a crowd. A matron had popped her head into the dorm just five minutes ago, but upon seeing Hibari with them, she had quickly backed away, muttering apologies. You took note of this weird happening, but chose not to comment on it when Hibari flashed you a glare.

You were sitting right in the midst of all these people, head spinning with the sudden increase in activity. Someone offered you a cup of fruit juice and you sniffed it cautiously. Finding no lingering smell of anything alcoholic, you took a sip gratefully, feeling the cool liquid run down your throat. After a while, you finally worked up the courage to smile and nod when others prompted you with trivial questions. Unfortunately, these meaningless, even innocent questions, seem to spark raging conflicts. "So, are you new at this school?"

"Of course she's not, Yakyuu-baka! She's in our science class! Are you blind?"

"Hahah! Sorry about that. I didn't notice that you were in my class! You must be really quiet, huh?" Yamamoto laughed and scratched the back of his head self-consciously. He nudges Shoichi, who had been sitting silently beside you for the past hour. "Hey, Irie! Isn't she the person you sit behind?"

This comment brings an embarrassed half-smirk to your face. Irie Shoichi had been sitting in front of you for the past three years of science class and you hadn't recognized him at all! To be honest, you reason with yourself, it was dark when you bumped into him. Yamamoto, the damn idiot, caught your embarrassed expression and decided to worsen the situation. "Ahahah! You didn't notice either, did you? Ne, Irie! It's all good! The two of you are even, ne?" You felt like socking him in the stomach. Instead, you buried your face in the pillow as everyone else started laughing at Yamamoto's outburst. Even Gokudera let out an exasperated chuckle.

"Idiots, all of you." The silverhaired bomber muttered into his sleeve. When Tsuna tilted over to better hear what Gokudera had just said, Gokudera turned a very amusing shade of purple red. He spluttered a bit, stood up and jumped around on the spot (accidentally kneeing Ryohei in the face and stepping on Hibari's foot, which brought about a shout of "EXTREME pain!" and a low growl from the respective victims) before finally deciding on slamming his head against the nearest available patch of wall.

"I'M SO SORRY, JYUUDAIME! I DIDN'T MEAN YOU! I MEANT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM!"

At this, Hibari finally decided to enforce discipline properly. He struggled upright, still encased in many chains and metal bindings that Mukuro had conjured out of nowhere to keep him 'in the party'. To your surprise, he managed to slip his tonfas out and had started slamming the metal stick against the chains. Everyone else in the room took on a look of panic. Mukuro chuckled nervously and opened the door, booting Hibari out as if he was nothing but a sack of potatoes.

"So, now that the pest is gone, shall we continue with our game of truth and dare?"

Mukuro spun the bottle. And lo behold, it stopped directly in front of Sawada Tsunayoshi.

* * *

The better part of the night had passed before everyone decided that the last dare would be yours. Your luck had held out for most of the game and the bottle had only landed on you once. Luckily, you were smart enough to choose 'truth', and Kyoko had tentatively asked you who you fancied. They didn't want you to be too embarrassed and uncomfortable around your new group of friends, so they had given you a light question. Truthfully, you had answered that you didn't fancy anyone at this school, though Yamamoto had given both you and Shoichi a knowing glance. It was then that you realized that the 'Yakyuu-baka' shouldn't be underestimated. He knew a lot more than he let on. And it was also then that you realized Irie Shoichi, the boy whom you've been sitting behind for a whole three years and never payed attention to in Science class, might have a crush on you.

Being the nice person that you were, you decided not to question him about it. If he really did like you, then one day he'll confess. Hopefully. You were too shy to confront him about it anyway.

* * *

The next few days were uneventful. You managed to sneak back into your own room without any ruckus caused, slipping into your bed silently. When Chrome had finally awaken, she didn't seem disappointed that she had slept through the meeting at all. Chrome had merely asked you how it had gone, and you had babbled excitedly about meeting with everyone. You didn't know that Chrome hung out with such an extravagant, rowdy and interesting crowd of people! When you started describing how scary Hibari looked, Chrome had merely smiled at you and told you that Hibari didn't really mean any harm.

After a few hours, your excitement finally died down enough for your brain to function properly. You reverted back to your serious mindset, studying hard and taking studious notes of everything the teacher said. Chrome sat beside you, a secretive smile tugging at her lips, her eyes fixed on the back of Irie Shoichi's head.

Lately, you had been noticing Irie Shoichi more and more. You couldn't decide on whether or not this was a good thing, since he seemed so distant from you. In science class, you constantly looked up to stare at him, and he nearly always seemed to catch you staring, turning around just in time to see your eyes meet with his. You had then blushed and looked away, and wondered why in the world he was turning around in the first place. Unless he was also sneaking looks at you?

Unfortunately, the teacher also seemed to notice your secret exchanges. He moved Irie to the other side of the room and gave you a warning glance, choosing not to voice the opinion out loud merely because you were the top of the class and he didn't want to tarnish your reputation if it was a misunderstanding. Your classmates seemed to notice as well, Chrome especially. You had overheard her muttering something about Irie to her brother one evening, but she had refused to tell you what it was about.

Now that Shiochi was on the other side of the room, it was much easier to concentrate on class again. You didn't seem to be prone to drilling holes in the back of his head with your eyes anymore, but you still felt his gaze on you sometimes. Everytime the teacher called your name, your heart would race and gallop, almost as if you expected him to stand up in the middle of class and propose to you or something. It was absurd, you reasoned, tucking a pencil behind your ear. You're going to fall behind on your studies, you chide yourself, even though you weren't really getting worse grades because of your 'distraction'.

Irie proved to be a genius at science and design technology. He was nimble with his fingers and quick with his formulas. You had never really noticed this talent before, but he seemed to be showcasing it more often, raising his hand frequently and answering all the questions on the board properly and in great depth. You were sure this was a tactic to impress you, as his eyes would flicker to meet yours every time he stood up to answer a question. The teacher seemed to welcome Irie's contributions to the class, beaming at him and encouraging him to stand up more. Even so, every time you clapped along with the class to praise him for his correct answer, Irie seemed to retreat back into his old, shy self, blushing modestly and looking away. After a while, you boldly decided to make the first move.

"Shoichi-san, can you please help me with this question? I don't really understand it..."

It was a chance meeting in the library that started the ball rolling. You had been sitting at a table, aimlessly staring at your notebook and tapping a pencil against the wood when you spotted the familiar red head a few tables away. It took quite a bit of courage for you to stand up and actually walk over, pretending as if nothing was wrong and you had simply decided to come sit next to him. It was easier to interact with him now that you were in his 'friend group'. After the initial meeting, you had sneaked out another few times to hang out with the 'Vongola gang', as Reborn-sensei had dubbed them. You didn't really understand why Reborn-sensei called them the 'Vongola gang', because 'Vongola' apparently meant 'clam' or 'shellfish' or something of the like in Italian, but you didn't want to question him about it either.

Irie turned an interesting shade of purple. He had earphones hanging around his neck, and was wearing a casual turquoise t-shirt and a pair of raggedy jeans. He fidgeted with a loose thread and muttered a quiet "sure", before doubling over and clutching his stomach. You looked at him in alarm as he spluttered and rolled around on the carpet, groaning. You knelt beside him and pressed your hand to his forehead, trying to determine whether he's suffering from some sort of mutated cold that brought about spontaneous stomach aches. His temperature is fine, you realized, but your touch only seemed to make his condition worse. He was now curled up in a fetal position.

"He's frothing at the mouth. Aren't you, Sho-chan?" Byakuran appeared out of nowhere, bag of marshmallows in hand. He looked at Shoichi curiously. "Ne, Sho-chan, your face is green."

"What's wrong with him?" The question came out quite a bit more hysterically than you had originally planned. Screw trying to keep calm. You were about to jump up and strangle Byakuran until the albino male gave you a coherent answer! Byakuran nodded slightly, arrogantly. "Sho-chan gets the tummy bugs when he's put under pressure or when he's nervous."

_Tummy bugs?_

Byakuran gently pushed you away. "You might want to step away from him a bit."

You look down at Shoichi, who is now flopping around on the carpet like a dead fish. You take a step back. Byakuran grimaces. "You're making him nervous, you know."

_I am? I know he has a crush on me, but it won't induce such a serious reaction, should it?_

"Your face is too ugly." Byakuran supplied helpfully.

You freeze. _What did he just say? _It didn't help that he hit a really sensitive topic with his simple sentence. You placed one hand on your hair. Your expression turned flustered. Your other hand started fiddling with your glasses. Even though you weren't the prettiest girl in the world...no, not even the prettiest in the class even, you certainly didn't think you belonged in the 'ugly' category. And yet, this albino male in front of you, casually munching on his sweet marshmallows, had the gall to call you ugly? Where is his justification in that? Where is his _evidence? _And to make matters worse, Shoichi seemed to bob his head, almost as if he was agreeing to what Byakuran is saying. That did it. You snapped.

"IRIE SHOICHI. YOU TELL ME IF THAT'S TRUE RIGHT THIS INSTANT, OR I'LL...I'LL..." Your face grew impossibly red. Irie let out a grunt of agony and sat up, rubbing his stomach. His eyes widened as you slammed your fist into his face. Byakuran winced and stepped back as you advanced angrily on him. "You didn't need to tell me what he was thinking, you...you...marshmallow destroyer! If you have some kind of telepathic bromance powers with Irie Shoichi, then keep it to yourself!" From then on, you were convinced that Byakuran and Shoichi had something 'special' going on between them, and no amount of begging, pleading or crying could convince you otherwise.

* * *

Two weeks later and you were together with Shoichi. You had no idea how it happened. Vaguely, you recall being pushed into him in the hallway, and your lips had met his, and you had liked it, and he had probably liked it. Why would he have asked you out (amidst groans of pain and complaints of stomach aches) otherwise?

Thinking back to it now, Shoichi had probably been pressured into it by Byakuran or something. Just to prove that he isn't gay or something, you thought with a giggle.

"O...oi.." Shoichi grabbed your hand somewhat hesitantly. Was it just your imagination or did he glance backwards fearfully for a second before making his move? No matter, you decided, squeezing his clammy appendage gently. He cast you a smile and you grinned back at him, knowing that it was genuine. Even if he had been forced into this relationship, he was happy with it, wasn't he?

That's when you notice the scars running up his arm.

"Hey, Shoichi..." You grab his sleeve and gently push it upwards. He winces and pushes your hand aside, but it was too late. You had seen the horrible burns that ran along the inside of his forearms. You push him in the direction of the school nurse frantically, but to your surprise, he digs his heels in and refuses to budge. When Irie Shoichi is stubborn, he can be very hard to move, you realized then and there.

"I've already been to the school nurse." He mutters, not looking at you.

You skip around so that you're facing him instead of pushing at his back. You brush his hair away from his eyes gently. "Does it hurt?"

Someone pushes you from behind again and you crash into him. Irie's startled hands wrap around you instantly, pulling you into a warm and trustworthy embrace. "An experiment went wrong. That's what happened to my arm. Don't worry about it, it's already starting to heal. I just need to let the wound breath a bit, Dr. Shamal told me." That was his second mistake. You had never heard of a 'Dr. Shamal'. Who was he, exactly? Some kind of family doctor? But it's a boarding school! Why would Shoichi have access to a family doctor? And besides, Shoichi had told you that his family lived in Japan. Even if it had been a family doctor that he had seen, how would he have reached this 'Dr. Shamal'? Would he have flown all the way from Italy just to meet him? As far as you knew, Irie's family wasn't rich. He had only been able to come to this school on a scholarship because of his outstanding science performances...

"Hey." He murmured, his voice surprisingly steady. He turned your head to face him and rubbed his thumb against your cheek gently. "Don't worry about me. I can handle something like this, alright?"

You give him another shaky smile and decide to drop the subject matter once and for all. Maybe Shoichi had just been messing with the chemicals. It wasn't like accidents didn't happen, especially for such a clumsy klutz like Shoichi. Even though Irie had deft hands, he must've just spilt something and hadn't bothered to clean it up properly! And besides, he had seen a doctor already, so...there really isn't anything for you to worry about.

"Alright, Mr. Bromance. I won't drag you to the infirmary this time. You better be careful next time, alright? Otherwise you'll really have to pay a visit to Takanue-san!" Shoichi saluted to you smartly, and then promptly stumbled into a wall because he wasn't looking at where he was going. You giggle as you right him. "Yep, accident it was, Shoichi-kun. Maybe this'll be a good lesson for you. You won't go around messing with explosive chemicals anymore, right?"

Irie could only nod and smile as you pull him to your next class.

* * *

Shaking the water off your hands, you grabbed your bag and quickly left the bathroom. The temperature was freezing, and the heaters in the bathroom didn't seem to work as well as those in classrooms or in the dorms. With a quiet, self-pitying huff, you wrap your scarf tighter around your neck. It was quite late at night, but you had stupidly stayed up to get a head start on your literature reading texts. Even though the class wasn't due to happen until next week, the very thought of procrastinating on homework gave you bad shivers. The only problem was that the books that you had ordered from the bookstore hadn't arrived yet, so you could only resort to going to the library. When you had asked Shoichi to accompany you, he had given you an earful of apologies and excuses. You had gotten mad at him, thinking that he was going to spend time with Byakuran instead as he had been doing for the past week or so, but he had adamantly refused to answer any of your questions so you had stormed off angrily.

The cold had quickly dissipated your sour mood and you quickly found yourself thinking more about how to stay warm. After your brief, uneventful visit to the quiet library, you finally decided to call it a night at 9:30 pm, and had gone to the bathroom.

The corridors were eerily silent. No tapping footsteps of disciplinary committee members on patrol. As much as the sound of Hibari's minions walking around had frightened you, you now realized how comforting it was to hear someone keeping the school safe now that their absence was so obvious. To calm your skittery nerves, you placed one palm against the stone walls and quickly jogged down the hallway.

Suddenly, your hand came across a brass doorknob. The cold metal was shocking against your skin and you quickly recoiled. You could hear hushed voices coming from behind the door. Leaning in, you pressed your ear cautiously against the wood.

"...eborn! They're coming ton...you tell me earlier!"

"Da...na, I didn't know about this."

"But the rest of the students are still here, Reborn! How will we keep them safe?"

Someone grabbed you from behind. You open your mouth to let out a shriek, but a gloved hand quickly covered your mouth.

"Shh...Don't want the Vongola knowing about us yet." The unknown assailant whispered in your ear quickly. He had a lilting, slow accent, almost as if he half stumbling, half singing his words. His voice was so quiet that you almost caught yourself leaning towards his mouth to better hear what he is saying.

"All the eggs in one basket, boss." The man reported gleefully, giving your arm a painful twist. "And we got ourselves a treat as well."

Without really thinking, you kneed him in the stomach. Your arms flailed and you hit a nearby fire alarm. Red lights flare up around the school perimeters and the alarm starts ringing loudly. The man curses and pushes you. You fall backwards and hit the wooden door with a low 'thud'. The door is opened suddenly and someone grabs you by the waist, lifting you up like you were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. All your protests died in your throat as you look up only to come face to face with familiar red hair.

"Shoichi-kun!" You manage. Irie Shoichi dips his head to give you a brief kiss and then quickly adjusts you so that he was holding you bridal style, your head against his chest. You could hear the frantic thumping of his heart. He was terrified.

"Byakuran, I'm getting her out of here."

"Mhmm, Sho-chan, you do that. The rest of the students are already evacuating. Don't forget to check the monitor for our equipment."

"Ah.." He agreed quickly, tearing down the hall while the people who had broken in were still fumbling with their weapons. To your horror, gunfire starts rattling as soon as Shoichi had rounded the corner.

"WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE? WHAT'S HAPPENING, SHO-" Your hands were gripping his arms painfully, but Shoichi didn't seem to notice it. You got angrier and angrier as only silence met your questions. "PUT ME DOWN! I'M PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF RUNNING MYSELF!"

"No." He quickly muttered, rounding another corner and narrowly avoiding crashing into a bedraggled student who had just stumbled out of his dorm. You let out a scared whimper as a bullet dove into the wall, showering you and Shoichi with plaster. You hear Shoichi let out a grunt of pain, but he didn't slow down. He barrelled into the wooden doors at full speed and the two of you tumbled down the steps. You hit your head badly on the cement, but as soon as you sat up, Irie had you in his arms once more, and he was running again, running towards the cover of the forest.

_He had been trying to protect me from the bullets. _You realize hazily. That's why he had refused to let you down. When he had held you while he ran, he made it so that there was only one target for the gunmen to focus on. What was going on, even? Why were there even gunmen in the school?

Brilliant flashes of colored flames lit up the night sky. You blink in shock. Nevermind that it was impossible to make flames of the indigo color, why was your school on fire in the first place?

Finally, Shoichi seemed to slow down. He staggered and tripped over a wood branch, sprawling onto the forest floor. You got a mouthful of leaves and quickly spat the frozen mud and soil out of your mouth. _That's disgusting, _your subconscious muttered angrily, while your conscious mind was busy trying to figure out where the flames and the fighting and the gunfire noises came from. The feeling of someone placing a gentle palm on your shoulder made you blink out of your thoughts. "Sho-chan?" You murmer.

Irie smiled. "You haven't called me that since the first time we met."

You blush heavily. Was this really the time to turn into a hopeless romantic, Irie Shoichi? There was what looked like a battle going on in the school! All the teachers are evacuating the students, and a clamor of panicked cries was going up in the courtyard not too far from where Shoichi had run. When you stood up to go over to the teachers, Irie quickly grabbed your arm. "No, don't go there. They might be disguised."

Again, you could feel hysteria creeping up your throat. You clamp down on the need to scream and buried your face in your hands. Quiet sobs wracked your body. Even Shoichi's comforting touches couldn't calm you down.

As you cried, Shoichi hesitantly started his story. His adventures, starting from when a cow kid with an afro had crash landed in his house, all came stumbling out of his mouth. You only half paid attention to him, selfishly focused on your need to get your raging emotions under control. After a while, Shoichi's words trailed off, and you look up, surprised. He had gotten up to the part about another family, one called "Millyfilly" or something, when he had suddenly slumped over and had gone to sleep or something.

"Shoichi?" You whisper, patting him on the arm. Your hand came away sticky with Shoichi's blood. That's when you started screaming for help.

* * *

"Stop being such a wimp, Shoichi-kun."

He gave your hand a squeeze and frowned in your direction. "You try getting a splinter the size of your thumb dug out of your back, okay?"

"But you had the least injures! Byakuran had a broken leg and three broken ribs! Even Hibari-san got shot in the stomach! And what did you get? A measly splinter! Honestly, Shoichi-kun! You should express your manhood better! Who runs away from battle like a wimpy coward? You should've stayed and fought like a man!" Shoichi spluttered angrily, waving his spoon in your direction and splattering you with vanilla ice-cream.

"Easy for you to say while you're sitting here and enjoying the ice-cream that I bought you!"

Sensing that he was getting upset, you quickly push your face into his chest. "I'm sorry, Sho-chan! I was just teasing. I went too far!"

You were glad Shoichi wasn't caught in the fray. If you had a bigger ego, you would've told him that he should've thanked you for giving him an excuse to run, but you weren't that mean. And anyway, you smile secretly to yourself as you reached out and gingerly patted his bandages, Shoichi wasn't one cut out for roughness. He was more brains than brawn.

"I was protecting you." He protested quietly.

_I know. _

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you all for reviewing the previous chapter! I'm so sorry I took so long to update this. I've been busy. Haven't have time to really sit down and write, and I would hate to just type something up and post it. I really go for quality rather than speed or quantity...sorry for the wait, everyone!

Here's the request list, just so you guys know that I haven't forgotten you all and your amazing feedback!

Nosaru x Reader (xkaiistarx)

Yamamoto x Reader.

Giotto x Reader ( ) - I have a good plotline for this and it incorporates a bit of your ideas as well. :P

Kikyo x Reader ( )

G x Reader (AppleDragon)

Enma or Fran x Reader (celestial-ways-of-life)

Tsuna x Reader (Autore Raita)

Hibari x Reader (Clair Kingsleigh)

Enma x Reader (RainyDaes)

Requests are still welcome, but the waiting time will be long...ah well. Still beneficial to get your request in earlier, ne? Thank you so much for reviewing my other chapters so far, and hopefully you'll be hearing from me again soon. Don't forget to review the chapter! Tell me what you think. ;)


	6. Nosaru

Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn  
Genre: Angst, angst, ANGST! Yay! I love writing angst XD  
A/N: This was requested by xkaiistarx. I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT WRITING MORE, but I've just started a hellish school curriculum called IB. For those of you who are currently going through the same thing that I'm going through, or who have finished the IB, GIVE YOURSELVES A PAT ON THE BACK BECAUSE YOU JUST DESERVE IT. I'm so stressed, I don't know whether to cry or not. But it's almost christmas, and I only have a few more IAs to plough through this weekend, so I managed to type this up. I'm SO SO SO sorry for the wait, especially you, xkaiistarx. I shouldn't have left it till so late, but my homework...is just...calling me.

Anyway, enjoy. It's angst, one of my favorite genres to write! If you guys think this is unsatisfactory or want to request more characters (the list is in the previous chapter, I can update one at the end of this chapter as well. OTL It's been so long, I forgot), just drop me a review (or PM me if you want it to be a private request or something I don't know LOL). Thanks so much for your support! I won't be surprised if I lose a lot of you because of my spontaneous hiatus. Don't leave me, guys!

Anyway, enjoy. Yamamoto x Reader is coming up next, hopefully up in a few days.

* * *

Nosaru x Reader

* * *

He was never content with his D-rank position, but it was the only way he could continue visiting Yuni. Because Byakuran didn't recognize his potential power, he was able to pay the girl a few visits a month. He always reported back to Gamma honestly, but one thing he never told Gamma about was the way he longed to see Yuni smile again. There was something in her smile that always struck a chord within him, because it reminded him of someone else. And even though emotion hardly flitted across Yuni's face, he always got the feeling that she understood what he was going through.

Their meetings were always formal and reserved. Yuni would always gesture for him to sit down on the sofa, and she would get up and pour the tea. When she finished making sure that Nosaru had a cup of warm tea in his hands, she would then neatly perch herself at the edge of her seat and lean forward. He was always the first to speak, and he would do so quickly, because with the way Yuni sat, it was like she was a bird poised to fly away at any moment. Their conversations were about as one-sided as they got, because Yuni never ever spoke. He would always start off with how much Gamma was worried for her and misses her, and Yuni would smile and nod. She missed him too, Nosaru knew. It made his heart pang with undefined pain, and he would turn his head to the side, embarrassed. After letting the red leak out of his cheeks, he would turn back to Yuni and start on a completely different topic, and Yuni would never, ever mention anything at all.

Sometimes, he would open his mouth and gape stupidly, words getting stuck in his throat. "You remind me of someone I used to know..." He wanted to say. "You remind me of someone I used to _love._" And Yuni would blink back at him and wait patiently for him to speak, but the words would never be able to make it out of his trachea and out into the world. He didn't care if Byakuran was listening in on Nosaru's words, he wanted to tell someone, anyone, how great you were and how important you meant to him. But he just didn't have the courage, and he was just so _scared._

So he kept his thoughts within him and chatted with Yuni about mundane things. How the sun shone through the window and lay dappled patterns on the tiled floor. How delicious Yuni's cookies were today, to which she would nod slowly and gesture for him to eat more. How warm the tea was in the winter and how it warmed his insides. How much Gamma misses Yuni and Aria and how, most of all, Nosaru wished he could go back to the old times, when they were one happy family and Yuni would blind everyone with her beautiful smiles.

And you were with him. And there was no such thing as the 'Mafia'. And they were just family. A family with extraordinary powers, an overly protective lightning guardian and a wonderful if somewhat scary leader. And then Aria died, and Yuni grieved, and everything fell apart. And then Byakuran stepped in and Yuni changed and everything was destroyed before Nosaru's very eyes.

And then you were gone and he was alone and that's when he started disintegrating inside.

So he kept the thoughts weighing inside him and went to visit Yuni so that he could selfishly relive your smile. Or what looked like the verge of a smile, because sometimes when he looked closely, he could see the small twitch of her lip, almost as if she was going to curl her lips up and smile once more and everything would be alright. But the world doesn't work that way but Nosaru would be damned if he were to forget about you.

And then Yuni died, and Nosaru cried the hardest, because he was grieving for you again.

* * *

~3 Years Ago~

"Why on earth did you dye your hair pink, Nosaru-san?"

_Damn these overly curious punks. They're so damn clingy. _Nosaru ran one hand through his short pink locks before shoving both hands in his pockets and turning his gaze downwards. The street kids prowled around him happily, completely content to be in his company. They're too trusting for their own good, Nosaru realized. They were unused to the other side of city life, and they had probably just all decided to run away from home. They still had money and they still had the clothes on their back. In contrast to Nosaru, a veteran street urchin with scruffy, tangled hair and a ratty hoodie and jeans, they were the newbies. And they were going to get mugged.

Nosaru leaned forward and sighed. The smog of the city mingled with the coolness of the autumn dusk. "Why I dyed my hair, you say? Well, it's a long story..."

"We've got time." The leader of the group grunted, plopping down onto the ground. He picked up a discarded cigarette butt from the floor and fumbled with a lighter, putting the now lit cigarette stub to his lips. Nosaru's lips curled in disgust and he slapped it away from the 'thug'.

"Don't go ruining your own health, you idiot. You're on the streets, it's bad enough that you have to deal with starvation, thirst and whatever shit, you don't have to deal with_lung cancer _as well." He tilted his head up haughtily and the thug scowled, purposefully stepping on the cigarette stub. Nosaru allowed himself a little smile. It seemed he did have some form of control in this area of the town after all.

_Alright, now back to the hair. How should I start? _He rubbed the nape of his neck and glared up at the sky. The newbie gangster street kids gathered around him in a circle, looking if anything like a bunch of school children ready to receive a lecture from their teacher. Nosaru was at loss for what to do. They all looked as if they could rely and depend on him, and it was making him feel pretty good about himself, but at the same time it was putting a huge pressure on his shoulders. He was only 15, for frick's sake! He can't be expected to skip around all dandy like a Robin Hood with his band of street urchins!

Self survival over group survival, right? He reasoned with himself. There really was no reason for him to stick around with this bunch. They were so naive. They were bound to be robbed within five minutes of leaving their little alleyway hideyhole.

So Nosaru smirked and glared at all of them in turn. They fiddled nervously with the hem of their shirts, and Nosaru sneered. They really are just a bunch of wannabe rebellious wimps. _Why not steal from them? They're easy targets. Look at them, sitting ducks. Quite literally too. _It was for a good cause anyway. They'll just run crying back to their parents when they realize they have no more money, and Nosaru would be able to eat tonight. It was a good trade, wasn't it? In fact, what if the kids' parents even rewarded Nosaru with returning their offspring?

_Wishful thinking will get you nowhere._

Unfortunately, that was one of the major rules Nosaru lived around. If he could afford to sit around thinking about miraculously turning rich, then he would be better off using the time to pickpocket stupid passerbys, or stealing bread out of the bakery. They haven't caught him yet, the oafs. They were too stupid and too slow to catch even a glimpse of him, even when his hair stood out in such a shocking color.

"Do you know the rules of 'attracting prey'? A lot of creatures in nature actually use this method." Nosaru was making things up as he went along. He had never really stayed in a classroom for more than five minutes before he was kicked out, so this was all he could catch from his spontaneous biology attendance. Ironically, the last lesson he 'attended' was one about the food web, where the teacher talked about the food chain and how it affected the different species throughout the world. "When a part of a predator's body is a shocking or special color, the predator can naturally attract the prey, and thus it'll be easier pickings. The angular fish uses this method, which is why it has the dangly light-bulb thing in front of it's ugly face."

Nodding to himself, Nosaru allowed himself a smug smile as he watched the rest of the kids digest the information. They whispered to each other and nudged each other, trying to work out whether he was being serious or not. Suddenly, a voice at the back of the crowd spoke, and Nosaru tilted his head arrogantly in its direction to catch the soft words tossed his way.

"But don't some predators want to blend in? Otherwise, won't the prey be easily scared away?"

_What a smartass, back talking me like that._

Stalking angrily towards the voice, he came face to face with a small figure wearing a baggy hoodie. Yanking the hood down and gripping a fistful of hair, he slammed the you into the wall and growled. "Who do you think you are, questioning...my...logic..." He trailed off as his sight was met with tearful eyes. You struggle limply in his grasp and he lets go of you. You fall heavily to the ground and sob pitifully.

Nosaru 'hmph'ed and turned away. There was no use dealing with a crybaby like this one, he thought. But as his eyes came into contact with the horrified looks of everyone else in the member, you came to realize just how important you were to the other kids. The gruff leader himself was cracking his knuckles, looking as if he wanted to give Nosaru a good pounding in the face. Usually, Nosaru would just run, but he was vastly outnumbered and he still had his eyes on the fat wallet in the thug's pocket. He could almost smell the meal that he could buy with the money. The first warm meal he's going to have in months! Sweet-talking wasn't his way to go, but in this situation, it might be the best.

Sighing and spinning, he fixed you with as stern a glare as he could muster, and waited for your sobs to die down. You manage to calm yourself with great difficulty, sniffling and pathetic-looking with snot all over your face.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so rough with you. Will you forgive me?" Nosaru forced out with some difficulty. He cringed inwardly. _That sounded way to unrealistic and stiff. _He waited a while, watching as you laboriously wiped the tears on your cheeks away and then give him a reproachful and hesitant look.

"M...Make up hug." Sticking your arms out towards him, you give him a small smile. Nosaru let out a long suffering sigh and decided to humor you just this once. Leaning forwards, he pulled you into an awkward hug and smiled shakily when you decided to wipe your snot all over his shirt. It was absolutely disgusting, but nothing Nosaru wasn't used to. And that's when he felt you stick a hand in his hoodie pocket. He jerked back in surprise, but it was too late. You scrambled away from him and stuck your tongue out tauntingly. The other kids hooted with laughter, and it was only until he looked around in confusion that Nosaru realize he had been duped.

You stand up and dusted your hands on your shorts. "What about another, more effective method? The predator blends in with the prey and observes the real target quietly. When the target lets his or her guard down, you find the chink in their armor, and then strike." Dangling the chain you had retrieved from his pocket in front of his eyes, you watch as his frown deepened and he snapped his hands out to reach for the locket. You jerk it backwards, faster than he could grab it, and he found himself swiping at thin air.

The leader of the group stand up and applaud. "Nosaru, you've been tricked. That 'little girl' there is known as our Secret Weapon. She's the actress and the strategist of this whole group. She's amazingly smart and has _years _of experience on the streets. She's been providing for the whole group through just pickpocketing random passerbys, through using the method you had just been forced to demonstrate." At this, he let out a loud, boisterous laugh. "You see now? Her methods are much better than yours!"

You fiddle with a dial on the locket, trying to get the thing to open. Nosaru saw red as you clinked it against the wall when you couldn't get the clasp to open.

"YOU GIVE THAT BACK!" He roars angrily, shocking the other kids in the group. They skitter back nervously, running to stand behind the leader. You stick your tongue out at him again and skip just out of range. "It's only fair, I've turned the tables on you! You were the one who was eyeing our wallets just a few moments before. It's a 'kill or be killed' world right? If I didn't steal from you first, you might've even managed to get it off Big Mike there! What would happen to us then? We would starve! So I say, it's a fair trade, and I see this locket can sell for a lot of money too! We've scored big today, boys!"

Nosaru began to panic as you stuff it in your pocket and turned, getting ready to leave.

"Give it! GIVE IT BACK!"

"Nyah, I want to keep the spoils of war for myself!" You sing back at him, still preoccupied with trying to pick the locket open. You were curious as to what secrets the locket held inside.

Tears sprung in his eyes. What had he done to deserve this? _I was too stupid. I was the one being tricked all along. There's no way a group in this part of town would consist of innocent runaways. I'm so stupid. _Without realizing it, Nosaru had tears streaming down his face and his fist clenching and unclenching.

"G..Give it! It's something important to me! It's my mother's!"

At that, the clasp finally sprang open. Your eyes widen just a fraction as you see a gentle-looking woman holding a baby. She had a back of long, pink hair, in the exact shade that Nosaru was wearing his. _So it's natural. _She was carrying a baby, and the look of complete tenderness and acceptance on her face brought tears to your eyes. When was the last time someone looked at you like that? Without any pity or judgement? When was the last time someone held you in his or her arms without cringing away in disgust?

You look up and there he was, the boy with an unruly mop of pink hair on his head, the boy who so resembled his loving mother, sobbing quietly. One hand was outstretched towards you, as if he expected you to plop the thing back in his arms and just be done with that.

So you gave it back, and smiled inwardly as you saw his hand clench protectively around the locket. He turned away haughtily, without even uttering a word of thanks, and left the alleyway, breaking out into a sprint as the main street came into view.

He felt utterly humiliated, but somewhat relieved. And that was Nosaru's first encounter with you.

* * *

Nosaru was not one to usually run away. As a child, he he was notorious for his aggressive behaviour, especially in school. He was always picking fights and causing trouble for the teachers, taking things for granted. He was never in any of the 'groups' in school. He didn't belong to any club, and all the other delinquents didn't want anything to do with him either, because honestly, Nosaru wasn't strong at all. He just had his stubborn nature and a loud mouth. Sometimes, he had the fists to back it up, but most of the time, he was only up for a verbal confrontation. He was known more as the lone wolf, the runt of the pack who had been throughout by society. Perhaps it was because of his pink hair, nobody took him seriously. Perhaps it was because his mother was didn't look the part, having had Nosaru at the young age of 17. She looked more like a university student than a mother, but she had dropped everything to take care of her child and to provide him with a good education.

Within the first few days of school, Nosaru had been dubbed a freak and an outcast, someone who was too stupid to play with. Teachers avoided him in fear that he would disrupt the class, and children avoided him because they thought his stupidity was contagious. Nosaru had tried being a studious little boy, reading up on textbooks before class and practicing his handwriting every single night, but when the teachers refused to acknowledge his efforts, he gave up. His mother didn't have time to take care of him either, because her new job was very demanding and she was hardly ever home.

It was hard for him to fit in at school, but Nosaru never really minded. No matter what he did at school, his mother would support him at home. He was content to return to a happy, albeit slightly empty house. He lived alone with his mother, and they lived in the 'poorer' part of town. But now, his mother had just gotten a stable job, which was surprising considering her lack of work experience, and they were planning on moving closer to the rest of the town. This way, Nosaru would feel more involved in society, his mother had reasoned. Nosaru had hated the notion at first, but the prospect of being closer to arcades and cinemas had won him over.

Nosaru knew he sometimes disappointed his mother. If the sobbing he heard behind closed doors were any indication to go by anyway. But for some reason, he just didn't have the motivation nor the knowledge to keep on learning in school. In the first few weeks, he had tried, but when he realized he couldn't put words together with ABC blocks like the other children, or when he never could name the picture flashcards that the teacher held up, he was convinced that there was something wrong with him.

And then winter came, and within the span of three months, Nosaru's world slowly crumbled. It started with a simple, contagious cold.

* * *

_"Nosaru..."_

_He refused to look at her. Not when she was so sickly and pale, and laying on the bed coughing. He refused to acknowledge her presence. He refused to recognize her. But she was there, calling his name softly in the caring voice that he loved, and he couldn't stop the tears streaming down his cheeks._

_"Nosaru, honey. I want to speak to you. Come here and let Mama have a good look at you."_

_Her 'cold' had developed into a serious case of pneumonia, and they didn't have the money to afford treatment. His mother had put every last penny into ensuring that he could continue to go to school, and now their bank account was next to empty, certainly not enough to sent her in for advanced medical treatment. But his mother had assured him that nothing was wrong, and he had deceived himself into believing her. And the sickness had worsened, even while she had still struggled to work every day. So she was dying, and Nosaru couldn't accept that. He sometimes skipped school to stay at home with her, but all she would do was cry and shout at him, chasing him out of the house until he promised he would go to school every single day._

_"M..ma..." He managed to choke out. She smiled and her hands shifted on the blankets, feeling for his soft palms. He placed his hand in hers gently, and let her thumb rub comforting circles on the back of his hand. Her breathing was coming in ragged gasps now, and Nosaru knew somewhere in the back of his mind that she was going to be gone soon. You didn't need to study to understand the ways of death. It was an instinctual human nature to recognize sickness and dying, and it was killing him inside, because he knew he couldn't have done anything._

_Except make her proud._

_"Mama, I have something to show you."_

_Rummaging around in his school backpack, he pulled out a crumpled test paper. He had been practicing for this test day in and day out, partly because his mother's hard earned money could not be gone to waste, and partly because he believed that if she was going to leave him, she might as well leave him feeling proud of her son._

_Holding it up to her face, he waited patiently for her mind to register the triumphant '100%' marked on the top of the paper. But when no reaction came, his heart started thudding uncomfortably in his chest. He leaned forwards and shook her lightly. "Mama?" She had a peaceful smile on her face, but her eyes were closed. And her skin was turning colder with every minute that passed by. He shook her harder, but her head lolled limply, and the smile on her face never faltered. She was at peace, and not in pain anymore. _  
_  
And Nosaru, now probably an orphan, was left to hold her hand gently and bring her finger up to trace the '100%' that marked his test. He was crying, not because she had died so suddenly, for he knew that she had died peacefully, but because he wasn't even given the chance to make her proud in her last moments. And she had died, probably never knowing that there was one test Nosaru had passed with flying colors._

_After that, Nosaru stopped trying. The principal kicked him out of the school after trying to reason with him multiple times and failing. His classmates only saw him on the occasion that they walked past the town cemetery, where they would see the familiar mop of pink hair bowed over a rough gravestone._

_And in his hand, he always held that one sheet of paper his mother never got to see._

* * *

You found him sitting by the pier, one leg dangling in the water. When you approached him cautiously, he kicked out and sprayed you with water. You recoil, spluttering angrily.

"What was that for?"

"Don't come near me." He muttered. He wiped at his face angrily with his grubby hands, and you took the liberty to plonk yourself beside him. When he turned to face you angrily, you register the tear stained cheeks and the angry, shameful red eyes.

"W..what are you looking at."

You smile sadly.

"You didn't really dye your hair pink, did you?"

Nosaru had no answer for that. He turned away from you and glared at the setting sun, occasionally still bringing his hand up to swipe at some stray tears. You tug at his pink locks playfully and he swatted your hands away, irritated. "Stop that! You're so annoying." You shrug and turn away from him as well, and for a few minutes, the two of you sat side by side in companionable silence.

Then Nosaru broke it by mumbling something under his breath. You didn't quite catch it at first, so you leaned closer.

"What did you say? Is it a secret?"

"No! I said...the locket is really important to me. Because it was my mama's." He blushed when he realized the close proximity the two of you were in, and shoved you away rather roughly. "Don't get in my personal space, you creep."

"...Can I see it?" You ask hesitantly. He cast you a sharp glare.

"Haven't you already?" He said.

You bow your head. Yea, you've seen it already, but you wanted to catch another glimpse. It was selfish of you, but you wanted to memorize the woman's smile, and you wanted to feel that it was directed towards you. Unbeknownst to you, Nosaru was looking at you out of the corner of his eye. He saw as the expression on your face twisted into one of confusion and conflict, and you fidgeted nervously with the hem of your shorts. For want of something to do, you pull your shoes off and dip your toes in the water as well, watching as fish darted around your feet and nibbled hesitantly at your skin.

"Here." He handed it over carefully and watched as you started to fiddle with the clasp once more. He got impatient with your clumsiness and leaned over, twisting the clasp quickly and snapping it open. You flush a light shade of pink as his breath brushed over the tip of your ears before he pulled back and the brief warmth was gone.

You stare admiringly at the glossy photo. After all these years, Nosaru must've taken really good care of the locket, because the photo looked as if it was new.

"Your mama looks really pretty. Her hair is beautiful. She has a nice smile." You tell him. "Your hair is nice as well, Nosaru. You shouldn't cut it."

Nosaru huffed. "My mama...she's alright." But as you glanced over at him, you could see that his eyes were starting to get watery again and he was angling his face so that you can't see his expression. He sniffed loudly. "She's alright. She was really nice." Nosaru felt tired. All this sentimental crap was getting to him. He kicked the water angrily and the fish darted away from the two of you.

You see something else tucked into the locket. A square of folded white paper. By the thickness of the folds, the sheet must've been originally quite big. As soon as you made to pull that out, Nosaru growled and stilled your hand. "I don't want you to see that." He told you, and you obediently put your hands down. Inwardly, you were raging with curiosity. Just what kind of secrets did this piece of paper hold? Awkward silence descended upon the two of you again.

"Well, at least it's nice, having a mama." You blurt out suddenly, and then turn just about as red as Nosaru is right now. When he gave you a questioning gaze, it was your turn to turn away from him and ignore him. "I didn't say anything." You tell him, and to your surprise, he nodded and got up, dusting off his pants. It made you feel even worse about prying into his life. You hand the locket back, ashamed. He took it without a word and was about to walk off when you remembered.

"Ah! Dinner!" You say cheerfully, trying to turn the mood around. He glanced at you curiously, and for a moment, lost all trace of a burdened teenager weighed with sadness.

"Big Mike gave me some money because I managed to steal a lot from a really rich guy today. It's enough...for two meals I think." _Let's go have something good to eat today. Please agree with me! _You silently wish. You felt too guilty to let this go. Not only have you teased him, you've probably destroyed what little dignity he had left by prying into his life. It was the least you could do to treat him to dinner or something.

"I'm not hungry." He replied immediately, turning away. But you knew, from the soft rumbles that came from his stomach, that he _is _hungry, but pride would not allow him to accept. As he started to walk away again, you decide that you aren't going to take no for an answer.

"Fries! Burgers! Fish! Soup, pasta, cake, freshly baked bread, popcorn, pies, cookies, Chinese takeout, pizza, sandw-" You were interrupted rather rudely by a loud growl from Nosaru's stomach. He was trying to glare daggers at you but was ultimately failing because his face was turning red again because of the embarrassment of having revealed his hunger. You laugh openly in his face and he swings a punch at you, which you duck out of and skitter out of his line of fire. "So you are hungry!"

He sighs, and finally nods, allowing you to lead the way towards the line of lights that marked off the main street restaurants. The two of you chose a rather simple, albeit a bit shady looking restaurant, where the waitress didn't even look twice at the state of your clothes before asking you what you wanted to order.

"Chicken pasta." You order confidently, before looking to Nosaru.

"Uh.." He replied.

You laugh. "Get him the cream spaghetti." Nevermind that the spaghetti was the most expensive item on the menu. You were earnest about making things up to him. Truth be told, you were quite lonely on the streets, even when hanging out with Big Mike and his gang, because they didn't really want to acknowledge your presence unless you were bringing in some sort of income. It wasn't necessarily a bad deal; you had heard about what other male gang members did to some females sometimes, but you were just lonely sometimes. Nosaru seemed like the perfect companion for you, easy to tease and more clueless than the others.

In all honesty, you just wanted a friend, and you thought you found one in the strange male before you.

* * *

Slowly, the two of you warmed up to each other. Not a day goes by where you aren't with each other, and you've even left Big Mike's group so that you could stay with Nosaru, wherever he goes. It was slightly stalkerish of you, but Nosaru doesn't seem to mind, although sometimes he tended to blow his top at you and rage about everything in general. You always managed to placate him by giving him some money you stole from people or buying something for him to eat, but sometimes the two of you would be mad at each other for days, and you would run away from him to hide.

He would find you eventually, every time. And that's how you know the two of you were best friends now.

He never asked about why you wanted to know what it was like, having a mother. He never asked about your past, and never really pried about your future either. The two of you lived life one day at a time, taking the challenges gladly because they reminded you of the reasons to keep living. The two of you were content with what you had, until you met Aria.

She was one of your targets for the day, and you had been tailing her for quite some time. It was hard to keep her in sight, because she seemed to walk along more crowded streets, almost as if she knew you were there. She kept one hand in her pocket at all times, which to you signified that there was something important within that pocket of hers. You were hoping for a large wad of cash this time; if her clothes were any indication to go by, she seemed to be of a relatively rich status, especially with the large, crystal pacifier shaped pendant she wears around her neck. It was kept in place with a simple ribbon, and you thought you could get it for a bonus.

You watched carefully as the woman turned into a nearby cafe, where she met a blond haired man. They talked animatedly for a while, the man frowning but not in an angry way. They seemed to be trying to work out a problem together, and after a while, the man left the cafe, leaving the woman sitting at the table by herself, sipping on her coffee.

_My time to shine! _You thought, arrogance filling your heart. You sidle up to the door of the cafe and slip silently inside, perching yourself close to the woman. She didn't look up from the book she was reading, still silently sipping at her warm drink. You willed your stomach not to rumble as the delicious smells of pastry assortments assaulted your nose. When the shopkeeper turned his back to grab something for another customer, you made your move.

Waiting until she put her cup down, you pretend to stumble and knock into her. She gasped in surprise and quickly sat up. All the while, you were secretly working at the ribbon around her neck. When you felt it plop safely into your hand, you quickly shoved it into your hoodie pocket and turned a tearful gaze towards the woman. Her eyes softened immediately, and you felt the familiar feeling of guilt pierce your heart. There was always some guilt involved, knowing that you were stealing from a well-meaning citizen.

The woman didn't seem to notice your ruse. Instead, she continued checking you for wounds before letting you up. And then she reached into her pocket for her wallet and gave you a kindly smile. Putting a few bills into your hand, she told you to get something you wanted from the store. Your eyes widened. This must be your lucky day! But the weight of the strange pacifier necklace in your pocket seemed to make you think twice. You shook your head after a while and put the money back in her hands. Not trusting yourself to speak, you bowed at her and ran out of the store before the shopkeeper could chase you out with her broom. Aria watched you leave with a small smile on her face, one that mirrored one of Nosaru's mother.

It was only a moment later that she realized the familiar weight of the pacifier wasn't around her neck anymore, and she realized what you truly were. Taking out her phone, Aria made a few quick calls before taking to the streets herself at a run.

* * *

"Nosaru! Nosaru, guess what!"

He stared at you, one hand clutching the begging cup. A few measly coins nestled in the bottom of the plastic container and Nosaru shook it unhappily. It was one of the more unsuccessful days, for him at least.

"Nosaru, I found a woman who has the same smile as your mother! She looks really nice." You start chattering happily, unnoticing of his depressed mood. Nosaru silently picked at some loose cotton from his hoodie, and you took immediate notice in the state of his clothes. Well, with the recent profit, you could probably get him a lot of nice things! You thought happily. Reaching into your pocket, you felt for the pacifier, glad that it was still there. Holding onto it securely, you smile back at him even though he was blatantly trying to ignore your painfully optimistic attitude.

"I'm going to go shop around. I found something really cool today. You just wait here, okay, Nosaru?"

He nodded mutely. In truth, it wasn't that he didn't enjoy your success. Of course he did, because it meant you would be able to get food enough for a hearty meal for the both of them. But most of the time, he just felt useless. And stupid. And dependent. It was embarrassing enough that you had outsmarted him on the streets, but it was even worse when you were the main source of 'income' for the both of you. It made Nosaru feel like a helpless idiot. He ran his hands through his shoulder length pink hair before sticking them in his pocket.

Angrily, he kicked at the ground before his feet. Tracing his previous footsteps, he made his way back to the main streets, hoping that he would have more luck this time. If he managed to get just a few more coins, he would be able to get something to eat, and whatever you had managed to get, you could use for food and other necessities. At one point, you had gotten so much money that the two of you had been able to rent out a small hostel room for a week. It was one of the best weeks of Nosaru's life, having a bed to sleep in and a shower to clean himself up in. With much reluctance, the two of you had left the hostel to wander the streets again.

With renewed determination, he set about begging passerbys. _Strange. There are a lot of black suited men around. _None of them gave Nosaru a second glance, although one or two of them had the nerve to shove him away from his seat so that they could glance at the floor. They all seemed to be looking for something.

_It must be the local mafia. This is dangerous business. We should hunker down for the night and stay quiet..._Nosaru realized. But after glancing into the cup, he realized just how impossible it was for him. It was a pathetic amount for a whole day's worth of work, and he wasn't about to return to you empty handed. To his happiness, he caught sight of a kindly looking woman with dark blue hair and a curious flower pattern underneath one eye. He stood and put on a show of limping over to her. The rest of the men milling around her all started to stiffen, and one or two of them made to grab you and drag you away. Luckily, the woman noticed you and gestured for you to come over with a kindly smile.

_"Nosaru, I found a woman who has the same smile as your mother!"_

Is this the woman? What if she associates Nosaru with you, his 'partner in crime'?

But it was too late, he was already standing right in front of her. She gave him another kindly smile and asked softly what he wanted. When Nosaru held up his begging cup, the men around her frowned. A blond haired male standing a few steps away growled and cursed under his breath, but he didn't move when the woman held up one hand to keep him still.

"I'll give you some money if you'll help me with something. I want to ask you something. If you don't know the answer, you don't have to answer me and I'll still pay you for the service, alright?"

Nosaru nods and gives her a hesitant smile as well. The woman beamed and softened her voice. "Do you know of a girl who looks like this..."

And she gave Nosaru the exact description of you.

As soon as he realized she was describing you, his blood turned cold. In his moment of panic, the only thing he could think of was to run and warn you of impending danger. With so many men by her side, the woman no doubt wanted to cause you harm, and that was the one thing Nosaru could not allow to happen to you.

So he turned on his heel and ran. And the men in the black suits followed close behind him.

* * *

_Waiting. You had been waiting for almost an hour now. And yet, there was still no sign of her. Your mother. The woman who had given birth to you, clothed you and fed you..._

_But hadn't shown any affection towards you._

_The sky was already turning dark, and you had been asked to stand outside this shop for around two hours now. Your feet were getting tired after standing still for so long, and there was a long gash on your arm from when you had accidentally scraped it against a thorny bush. You sniffle pathetically and rub your eyes. The wind blew around your legs and made you shiver slightly._

_"Mama?" You call softly into the darkening gloom._

_"Mama?"_

_She never came back for you._

* * *

"HEY!" Someone clamped a hand onto your shoulder, making you jump. Usually, you were more alert about your surroundings, but the happiness you felt at today's success must've dulled your mind. You turn, fists clenched, ready to brawl your way out of an ugly situation.

The man before you leered at you, before gesturing to the crystal pacifier you held in your hand. "Where did ya get that? Looks like it cost a fortune, lady."

"None of your business." You reply stiffly.

He wasn't about to take no for an answer. Gripping your hair, he slammed you into the wall and watched as you squirmed in pain. The pacifier clattered off to the side, but the man wasn't done with you yet. He gave you a few harsh kicks in the side before grabbing you by the neck and slamming you into the wall again. He regarded you at eye level, and you could smell the sour alcohol on his breath.

"It's not good to lie, lady. Especially when you have to _respect your elders, _eh?" At that, he was leaning so close to you you were trying not to gag at the disgusting smell that rolled off him in waves.

Kicking him in the shin, you manage to make him loosen his hold on you. You drop to the ground and hear a savage crack in your ankle. Letting out a howl of pain, you tried to roll away from him, but he swung a punch right into your stomach. You curl up into a fetal position as his fists kept on pummeling into you. He swore and raved, slapped and kicked, and you were almost about to faint with the amount of pain that was being dished out to every part of your body.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Nosaru launched himself at the man, ripping him off you. There was a scary intensity in the angry aura around him. The two of them began to fight in earnest, the drunkard throwing wayward punches and Nosaru landing precise punches. At one point, the man had Nosaru by the neck and was starting to squeeze, but Nosaru was still valiantly struggling on. He punched the man in the head multiple times, and the drunk fell to his knees, bringing Nosaru down with him. After a while, he toppled over and lay still. Blood leaked from his forehead.

"..Y...you killed him...Nosaru.." You manage out.

Nosaru was looking at the body with a look of horror on his face. He was clenching and unclenching his hands in panic. What was he going to do? He had killed a man, with his own two hands!

You started sobbing quietly, and that's when the familiar, blond haired man appeared. He had what looked like a stick in his hand, and he was holding onto a snooker ball. He strode over to the fallen pacifier necklace and quickly scooped it up and slipped it into his pocket.

"So, you're the bitch who stole from Aria-sama." He growled lowly at you. You struggle upright, but there was no strength left in you. The pain from your broken ankle kept you from moving, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you wonder when had you gotten so weak. It was probably because the two of you had been more well fed these days, with you working hard so that both of you would have at least one item to eat every day. You had forgotten what true pain felt like, and today was just another hellish wake up call.

"No! Leave her alone, please, I was the one who stole from her!" Nosaru cut in suddenly. The man narrowed his eyes at Nosaru.

"Liar." Lining up his snooker balls, he aimed it carefully at your head. Your eyes widened as lightning sparks started flickering around the ball. With a light tap, he sent the electrically charged white sphere in your direction, and you close your eyes weakly.

_Sorry, Nosaru._

"GAMMA!"

* * *

It took a while for Nosaru to start trusting Gamma again, but now he couldn't have asked for a better brother and team leader. Gamma was caring, in his own protective way, and he was important to Nosaru. He was glad Aria had accepted the two of you into the family, even though you had caused such trouble for her in the beginning. Both you and Nosaru now have a roof to sleep under, beds to sleep in, and three square meals every day.

But you, on the other hand, felt uneasy. Shortly after your recovery, you had spent most of your time gazing out of the window at the sky outside. You longed to be able to go out of this complex and run in the streets again. A life of thrills was a life for you, and you hated to be cooped up with a mafia family, awaiting orders from a leader. You had always been a kind of rogue, someone who lived by her own ways of thinking. Aria was nice, and even Gamma had apologized gruffly for his actions, but you knew you didn't belong here.

The only person you couldn't bear to leave behind was Nosaru. He had found a new companion, a man by the name of Tazaru, and they had taken to calling each other brothers. He followed Gamma's every word almost as if he was worshipping the man. He was courteous and grateful towads Aria, and he looked like he was part of the family, someone who was meant to be here. Slowly, the two of you drifted apart, and you knew that it really wasn't going to work out if you stayed here.

So one night, you snuck into his room. He was sprawled on the four poster bed, his mouth opened wide as snores escaped from his gaping jaw.

You shook him awake.

"Hey, Nosaru, let's escape from here! It's boring here!" You whisper to him.

He blinks blearily before sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing up so late?"

You smile at him reassuringly. "I came to get you so that we could get the heck out of here!"

At that, his eyes widened. He didn't want to leave. All his life, he had been outcast and had been shunned for his appearance and his thinking, and now he had finally found a family willing to adapt to his ways. Gamma had been patiently teaching him how to fight as well as catching him up on any simple lessons that he missed in his younger years, including math, science and languages. Nosaru hadn't written for so long, he had thought himself illiterate, but as soon as he had pressed the pen to paper, the familiar feeling of strokes and words formed in his mind, and his hand moved on its own to form sentences.

"Why do you want to leave?" He said.

"I don't like it here. It's too oppressive. I want more freedom." True, you liked it here, but the only things you were allowed to do was clean and cook and do all the 'girly' things. When you had asked Gamma if he could teach you how to fight as well, he refused, saying that Aria had suggested it was an unladylike activity.

It was unfair. You hated being caged and stereotyped.

"Please, Nosaru. I really hate it here." You put more emotion into your voice and let a few stray tears leak into your eyes. To your surprise, Nosaru sneered at you.

"That won't work on me." He didn't want to leave.

Anger flared in your chest. "Why don't you want to leave with me? Didn't we promise each other that we'd watch each other's backs forever? Didn't we say that we'd discuss something before doing something rash? Living with Aria-san and everyone else is a rash decision, and you didn't even consult me before you let it happen!"

At this, Nosaru sat up. "If it weren't for your stupidity, we would've never met them in the first place! You were the one who got yourself knocked out by Gamma-aniki, weren't you? If you weren't so _weak_, then maybe I wouldn't have had to make the decision for both of us! And besides, I like it here!"

_That hurts, Nosaru. That really hurts. Is this how he thought of me all this while? Just a stupid little tag-along to his street games? Maybe he was just using me to get money..._You tended to jump to conclusions sometimes, but at the moment, this seemed completely plausible. Nosaru looked so glad to be here, he probably was using you to get what he wants and now that he's found a proper home and family, he was just as willing to throw you away. It hurt you to understand that this was the way he thought, and now you wanted to leave more than ever. Even if it meant leaving him behind.

"...F-fine!" The tears were dripping down your face in earnest now, and without another word, you run from the room and disappear down the corridor. Nosaru snuggled back into his bed, thinking that everything would be alright in the morning and nothing would be wrong.

But when he woke up, you weren't there anymore.

* * *

_"Nosaru, your hair is really nice. Don't ever cut it."_

_Those words were once spoken to me by my mother, Nosaru thinks. But this time, they were coming out of your mouth. He smiles at you and reaches out to you, holding your hand. It was one of those rare lulls in the day, where the two of you both have enough money to get by for a couple of weeks, and you were full and content, warm and happy. The two of you were on the roof of a nearby building. Nosaru liked to be someplace high up, because he claimed it helped him feel significant. You liked it simply because the wind was stronger, combing through your hair and leaving you feeling refreshed._

_"Don't ever cut it, Nosaru."_

_"I won't." He reassures you. You were sitting in his lap, running your hands through his pink hair. He was smiling down at you and you were smiling back at him, and to him, your smile looked just as kindly and tender as his mother's had been. He wanted to lean down and kiss you on the lips, but he was too shy, so he settled with pecking you lightly on the cheek, making you giggle and sit up._

_"I won't ever cut my hair, I promise." He says, as you return the favor._

* * *

A few days later, he had gone out on the streets to look for you.

Winter was here again, and this winter was particularly harsh, marked with snow storms and rain. Nosaru was worried about you. You didn't have enough clothes to survive out in this harsh weather, and he had saw on the news that people had been dying all over the streets, most significantly, those who were homeless and didn't have access to shelter.

You would've come back if you were going to die, he reassured himself. You weren't that stubborn. In your case, survival came first, not pride.

But he was scared. He only realized how deeply he hurt you a few nights before when he thought through what he had said to you. He had so stubbornly disagreed and had forgotten to take into account your feelings, because he incorrectly assumed that you were just bored at the moment.

He walked the well worn alleyways with increasing anxiety. Tazaru followed him silently. On top of it all, there was a Mafia war about to break out, and Gamma and Aria were prepping for it back at the headquarters. But Nosaru wasn't worried about it at all. He wanted to find you and capture you in his arms, and tell you that he's sorry, and tell you that he loves you more than anything and that he's sorry he hurt you so badly and that he'd gladly let you slap him if you just come back and stay with Aria's family, because it was safer this...way...

His thoughts came to a screeching halt, as did his purposeful steps. He had come to a dead end. And, in the corner of the alleyway, there was a small, frozen corpse with a small, frozen smile.

* * *

That night, he cried again, and didn't bother hiding his tears. He hated himself, most of all for always being one step behind.

He never found out whether it was you or not. But one day, he still continues to hope that you'll meet them at the old base, where so much has changed for better and for worse. He hopes that one day you'll come prancing through the door, years older and far more mature, with the same silly smile on your face. You'll run your hands through his hair again, and this time, he _will _muster the courage to kiss you on the lips.

But as of now, he's still waiting.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to all those who have waited so patiently for this chapter! I'm so sorry it's super long and probably really boring, I haven't really had the time to check it through and everything. Please read and review! What did you think of this chapter? Which characters do you want to request, dear readers? I'm still open for suggestions!

xkaiistarx: I'm really super super duper sorry for the long wait. I had so much school work, it was getting up to the point where I was becoming depressed with stress. Now that I'm okay, I hope to get back into the swing of things by writing. To be honest, Nosaru was a challenge for me, because he had so little screen time and I wasn't good with his character. But I hope you find this satisfactory. If not, you can flame it and I'll try my best to placate you with another chapter...

Next up: Yamamoto x Reader! Hopefully, this will be up within a week :3

UPDATE: Yamamoto x Reader is already written and ready to be uploaded! (It's a pretty long chapter too XD) But I'm going to keep this up for a while longer so you guys have a chance to review :3 Motivation? Please do give me a response. I really do love hearing from all of you~

* * *

**[Alternate Ending]**

Years later, and Nosaru still had his long pink hair uncut. By now, it had grown into a flowing waterfall of pink tresses down his back. It swung when he walked, and it got into his eyes when he fought, but he refused to so much as trim it. He had made a promise, both to you and to his mother, never to cut it. And even though the hair was so annoying sometimes, he would be damned if he broke that promise. So it remained there, flowing and most of the time untamed. People have commented on it, people have teased him about it, but his decision remained unchanged. Instead, he took to making a game out of it. Every time someone asked, he would make up a ridiculous story about his hair.

Sitting in the bar next to Tazaru, he tapped his hands against the wooden counter and contemplated his most recent story. Someone had come up to him with the usual: "Why is your hair pink? Aren't you Mafia? God, this makes you look girly."

Nosaru was feeling particularly good today, so he didn't decide to answer the man with a punch to the face. Instead, he pondered the question. "My hair is pink...because when I was small, I was used for experimentation. They decided to cross some of my genes with a pink flamingo to see if they could put wings on me. They succeeded somewhat, but I'd rather not take off my shirt to show you my wings. Anyhow, I can fly." He tapped his boots slightly and hovered into the air. The man was too focused on the 'flying' man in front of him to notice the flames emitted from the bottom of his boots. Beside him, Tazaru snorted into his drink.

The man goggled at him. Was that even legal? That was human experimentation right? He left the bar, face turning green, no doubt running to spread the news of a flying flamingo-man in the local bar.

Nosaru sat heavily back down into his chair and downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. No matter what, he would never, ever tell them the real reason why his hair was pink. It was embarrassing, having inherited pink hair from his mother, but he was nevertheless proud of it deep down. Good thing only one person knows about the truth of his hair, he thought bitterly. Everyone else thinks he dyed it.

In the back corner of the bar, there came a snort. You put down your drink and smile. Same old Nosaru, stubborn and childish.

"Liar."


	7. Yamamoto

Rating: T, for violence and suggested..._stuff. _

**Warning**: READER GETS HURT! Yes, bad things happen to you. Well actually, in all my angst stories, bad things happen.../shot.  
Sorry guys. Need the angst. If you have any questions, complaints or you want me to write an alternate ending or you want to know what happens next, then you can review or PM and I'll gladly oblige.

UPDATE: Due to requests, an **extra ending **has been added to the Nosaru chapter! Please click the back button and check it out!

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
Genres: Humor, light fluff (in the beginning anyway), some angsty parts because of mafia involvement...Overall, it's...very typical of my style. I love Yamamoto so much, so I hope this does his character justice!  
This is set Ten Years Later. I hope you don't mind, ** . **.

Everyone, I'm sorry for the wait. Here's the long awaited chapters. I spent the whole day today just writing, so I have some chapters in reserve, so look forward to more frequent uploads! If you have any questions, comments, more requests, drop me a review or a PM and I'll gladly take the challenge.

* * *

TYL!Yamamoto x Reader

* * *

You first met him on the day you were taking your afternoon walk in the park.

He bounded up to you, a silly grin on his face. The only thing you registered was his happy brown eyes and tangled pelt before he was upon you, giving you a big sloppy kiss. You let out a gasp of surprise as he completely bowls you over, licking at your cheek, tail wagging.

"Hey, whoa there!" You laugh, pushing the akita inu off yourself. The big dog sat back obediently and gave you another pleased look, tongue hanging out of his mouth, his eyes sparkling with joy. When you finally managed to drag yourself upright, he let out a 'woof!' and started on a second attempt of bowling you over. Luckily, this time you danced out of range and started running, the big dog hot on your heels.

_Seriously, is it because my cheek tastes good to dogs or something? _

The doggie calms down after a while, when he finally catches up to you by the duck pond. His attention is directed towards the birds now, and occasionally he lets out a loud bark and the ducks flutter uneasily. You wander towards him hesitantly, freezing when his attention becomes fixated on your outstretched hand. The dog seemed less interested in you now, because now he didn't even bother to leap at you when you start petting his head. Instead, he plonks his furry behind firmly on the banks of the pond and is content to sit there, tongue hanging out once more and that silly grin forever plastered to his face. You rub his neck for a bit and smile when he whines when you stop. So you pet him again, and that's when you feel the cool touch of a small metal piece.

_A collar? So he's not a stray?  
_  
Your initial reaction is one of disappointment, because a part of you had been hoping that this cute canine was a stray so you could take him in. But when you pull the dog over to you to get a better look at the collar, you realize that there's no way such a friendly dog could be a stray anyway. Strays were always more distrusting of humans, content to stay out of the way and be alone.

_Better return this dog to his owner! _You think absentmindedly, still scratching the crown of the akita inu's head. The dog wagged his tail and panted happily. You finally get a firmer grip on the collar and flip it over.

'Jiro', the tag says. "So that's your name, huh, buddy? Any idea where your owner is?" Jiro lets out a whine and puts his great head in your lap. You laugh and rub his head gently. "Don't worry, Jiro, we'll find him or her soon enough! For now, you can enjoy my company, and I'll enjoy yours. I brought a snack, do you want some?" Holding out some leftover hot dog from your picnic lunch, you allow yourself a feeling of satisfaction as the dog cheered up immediately and gently took the treat from your fingers.

The two of you sat in companionable silence for a while, watching as the orange disk slipped slowly beneath the hills and out of sight. Your fingers slowly stilled with every stroke you land on Jiro's soft head. As if sensing your lethargy, Jiro let out a content yawn and dipped his head onto the floor. The two of you settled down for a late afternoon nap, the light of the sun still warm and welcoming on your face.

That day, you met Jiro, and then Jiro led you to _him. _

* * *

Your body feels cold and stiff. You shift uncomfortably and open your eyes slowly.

"It's already _this late_?" The park was empty, save for the few homeless wrapped up in their tattered blankets. You sit up and stretch hurriedly before realizing that the ground beside you was empty. Did Jiro just abandon you like that? Somehow you thought it wasn't in the dog's nature to do so, but then again, you couldn't be too sure. After all, animals and humans don't really speak the same language. Still, you couldn't help but feel a little peeved at the animal's spontaneous disappearance. Didn't Jiro know that it was dangerous for young women to be walking around alone this late at night?

You take out your phone and glance at the screen. It was 9:14 pm, which accounted for the darkened sky. You wrap your jacket around you and stand, brushing loose bits of soil from you pants. Casting a quick glance around, you realize that you really are alone in the park, and it was creeping you out. Even though Namimori was a relatively safe town, every town has their fair share of psychopaths. It was better if you got to a populated place faster.

So you start towards the streets, trying not to shiver in the cold of the night. Your stomach rumbled and you laughed at the irony of it all. You had given the last bits of your hot dog to the akita inu!

You stop suddenly. _Is it just me or are there footsteps behind me? _As you falter to a stop, the footsteps stopped as well. You turn around quickly and survey the street behind you. Nothing was out of place, nothing moved. Was it just your overactive paranoia and imagination working hand in hand against you? Or was there actually a killer after you? If so, then should you run? No, it's better not to panic, you reason with yourself. Nevertheless, you quicken your pace, especially when the echo of footsteps started up again. It was completely in sync with yours, which scared you even more. You changed the pattern of your footfalls and heard your pursuer falter as he or she frantically tried to change in time. There was no doubt about it. There was someone following you.

"Lady..." Your follower drawled. It was a male's voice, deep and smooth, filled with what you thought were unspoken threats if he ever caught up to you. You knew what he would attempt, and the thought itself made you gasp in terror. There were tears of horror in your eyes now and you start off at a sprint, but it was hard running in your heavy winter boots. _Damn my fashion sense! _You were much too careful about your appearance to forsake wearing what's in fashion just in case you were going to meet some serial killer. You weren't that kind of person!

A sob of fear escaped your mouth when you realized that the man behind you was gaining on you. The lights of the main roads were so close, yet so far away! You pant desperately, legs pumping as you fought to escape him. Finally, a wooden sushi bar came into sight. To your disappointment, the street was much emptier than you thought. Nobody gave you a second glance as you barrelled past them and burst into the restaurant. You thanked the divinities that the store was still open even in this late hour.

"Welcome!" The shopkeeper called cheerily, putting down the plate he was wiping dry and quickly swiping his hands across the apron he wore. He flashed you a warm, carefree smile and gestured to the bench in front of the main counter. "Please take a seat!" You slid into the offered chair with much relief, but before he could hand you the menu, you were interrupted.

"Young lady!" He had followed you. _He had followed you into the restaurant. _You let out a shriek of terror and lept up to face him, only to meet a kindly gaze and an outstretched hand. It was a young man, around in his early twenties, with tousled auburn hair and a pair of square rimmed glasses. His tie looked loose and windblown, probably as a result of his chase. In his palm was your wallet. "You left this in the park! It must've fallen out of your pocket." He gave you a tired smile, and you shuffled on the spot, flush with mortification.

You took one look at him and let out an embarrassed chuckle. So, he wasn't a serial killer after all.

"T...thank you so much. I humbly apologize for causing you so much trouble!"

You take the wallet from his outstretched hands and turn around to inspect its contents. It would seem rude if you checked it openly in front of him, but you wanted to see if any of the money was missing. All your cash were still securely in place, as were your credit cards. There wasn't anything missing...you think. You were quite the forgetful type, so you didn't really know _every single item _in your wallet.

"I didn't take anything." The young man interjected, sounding pleased with himself. You blush an even darker shade and shook your head.

"No you didn't. I'm so sorry, I should've trusted you more. I apologize for causing so much trouble. If there's anything I can do.." He glanced at you and you shiver at the look in his eyes. There was something..._No. I can't doubt him now, he ran all the way back from the park with my wallet! I must've caused him such embarrassment in front of the passerbys, I've caused him so much trouble already. _You bow deeply, hair sweeping past your shoulders in a thick curtain. "Sorry! Please accept my apology!"

"Well, there is something you can do for me..." He said contemplatively. "You see, I have a friend.."

"Hey, are you a customer or not? Are you going to sit down and eat or are you going to leave this young lady alone?" The shopkeeper interjected almost angrily. There was a hint of irritation in his voice, and that shocked the young man into silence. After an awkward while, the young man shook his head. "I...never mind, I'll take my leave now. Remember not to leave your wallet lying carelessly around, alright?" And with that, he swept out of the store, leaving without a second glance.

You turn to the shopkeeper, humiliation marked all over your face. It was bad enough that you doubted a kind hearted young man, now he was being shooed away by someone you didn't even know! You had been perfectly happy to pay the young man back for helping him. Why did the shopkeeper butt in so rudely?

"That was none of your business, and I apologize for causing such a disturbance in your store. I'll be leaving as well." You stated stiffly.

"..A..Ah! Wait, at least have a cup of tea, and then I'll walk you home when I finish wiping up these dishes. Just wait a moment! I'll be done in a second." The young shopkeeper flashed you a smile as if he hadn't done anything wrong, setting a cup of steaming green tea in front of you before going back to wipe the plates with more vigor. Silence settled thickly between the two of you as you debated whether walking out was the right decision, or staying would be better. There were no other people at the store, which made the situation all the more awkward.

"My name is Yamamoto Takeshi!" He started suddenly, shocking you out of your reverie.

"Um...ni..nice to meet you..." You stutter back. He cast you a warm grin.

"Go on, sit down! I promise I won't hurt you, unlike _someone _would've done if I hadn't stepped in on time! Hahah~" Again, there was a quick flash of underlying hostility in his voice before it disappeared completely. You sat down hesitantly, staring at the warm tea in your hands. Was he talking about the nice man?

"From the expression on your face, you're probably wondering whether I'm talking about the man you were with just now, right?" Yamamoto leaned over the counter, cloth forgotten on the side. You meet his warm, chocolate gaze and blink, before nodding. He reached over and ruffled your hair in a friendly manner. You duck crossly out of his touch and he merely chuckled at your actions.

"Well, he's bad news, I'm telling you! Judging by the way you looked so scared when he came into the room, your original instincts were correct. You shouldn't have slowed down when you ran, you shouldn't get closer to him. It's actually a good thing he left when he did, because things would get ugly when you took his 'offer', if you know what I'm talking about. For all you know, he could be a crime lord!" You snort slightly. _What arrogance. He was talking as if he knew what the young man was thinking all along! And besides, what kind of civilian would think that it was a crime lord! Those things only happen in movies or something. _

"I don't think he wanted to do anything bad. I was the one stupid enough to drop my wallet at the park, and he was just kind enough to return it to me." You counter defensively. Yamamoto sent you a sad smile, which caught you off guard. There was...a knowledgeable and melancholy feeling in that smile. He almost seemed like he was _regretting..._something. Even as you tried to defend the young man's motives, you were replaying the scenes in the back of your mind. There was something strange there. If there weren't any sense of a threat, why would you have fought so vigorously to run away from him?

"You didn't notice his left hand, did you? It was clenching and unclenching, like this." Yamamoto held up his fist and demonstrated, his knuckles turning white with each clench. "He was nervous. Now why would he be nervous if he was just doing a good deed and returning something to it's rightful owner?" Now that you thought about it carefully, he had given you the wallet with his right hand, his left hand had dangled uselessly by his side. It was a very unnatural action, but still, it was enough to make you focus on his right hand only and not notice his left hand.

"Maybe he's just shy? Why would he do something like that unless he's nervous...?" You wonder out loud.

"There was a pocket knife hidden up his sleeve, that's why." Yamamoto answered you heartily, nudging the green tea in your direction. You take a long sip from the cup and place it down, feeling the warmth travel down your throat in a comforting manner. You mulled his words over in your mind. He had a _pocket knife _hidden up his sleeve? Then he was no doubt tailing you to...to do what?

"What would he have wanted with me anyway?" You mumble, getting upset. It was scary. What if you had accepted the offer? Where you really that naive and stupid as to trust someone? But he had returned your wallet! He had looked so young and honest! He didn't look like a rapist or a serial killer at all! Your feelings were so conflicted, and it wasn't making you feel any better. Tears of frustration leaked out of the corner of your eyes and you buried your head in your arms, wiping your tears away.

"Hey, don't cry. At least he's gone now, right!" Yamamoto patted you on the back gently. "Now, I suppose you want to go home? I'll walk you home, just let me grab my jacket."

"Why would _you _want to help me though? I mean..." You struggle to find the words to voice your question, but what you really wanted to say was _why should I trust you? _It was too harsh to just put it that way though.

It was at that moment that the door bounced open with much force once more. A familiar furry face bounded into the room and made a beeline straight for you. You lift your head in surprise and mock anger. "You little traitorous critter! You let me suffer on my own, you bad doggie!" You gave him a friendly swipe on the head. Jiro wagged his tail and set about on his personal mission to eat your cheek once more, and you found yourself laughing once more at the silly dog's antics.

"Hey! Jiro, down boy! Come on." Yamamoto whistled and the big dog bounded over to him just as eagerly, leaving you a laughing mess on the floor of the restaurant, your head propped up on a stool as you caught your breath. Yamamoto smiled at you. "There's the reason I want to help you. You must've been the woman who kept Jiro company through the afternoon! And for that, I'm grateful."

"...How did you know?" You were in awe of his observation skills, although he just modestly scratched the back of his neck and let out another loud laugh. His laugh was pleasant to listen too, you realize with a light blush.

"There's dog hair all over your coat, and there would only be one dog friendly enough to pounce on strangers. Right, Jiro? You naughty boy." You watch as Yamamoto wrestled happily with his dog for a while before patting his head and asking Jiro to 'sit'. "If you don't mind, I'll fix something for him to eat as well, before walking you home. Would you like a snack as well? You must've missed supper."

You nod dumbly once more, at loss for the man's energy and cheerfulness. If only you could have his undyingly optimistic take on life, then you would be content with everything you had. You didn't really want to bother him, but the events from just a few moments before were still fresh in your mind. You decided to wait, and Yamamoto gave you a knowing smile.

"One order of dog food and one order of sushi, coming right up!"

* * *

"Th..thank you so much for your help today." The two of you were standing in front of your apartment building already. You drew the jacket around your shoulders even more, shivering slightly in the wind. Yamamoto waved at you, seemingly unaffected by the cold weather. A few seconds later, and hesitant drops started splashing onto the concrete floor, making you run for the shelter of your lobby. Yamamoto sauntered slowly in after you, the drizzling rain dotting his unruly hair. _Like dog, like owner..._you giggle quietly at your own joke, and he raised an eyebrow and laughed along with you.

"Well then, I'll take my leave! It was a pleasure to meet you today." He stuck his hand out and you took it hesitantly, feeling the warmth on his palm and the callouses near the finger tips. You briefly wonder what he did for a living. It didn't seem like making sushi would cause such rough hands, because making sushi was a softer job. The only thing you would have to wield was a knife, wasn't it?

He pulled back quickly, his hand going to rub the back of his neck once more. You weren't sure if that was a sign of nervousness or a sign of happiness anymore, but Yamamoto seemed to do it a lot. You really enjoyed his company, you realized. And you wanted to keep in touch with him.

"Uhm...Yamamoto-san..I know this is a little sudden, but...can we please meet again? I mean, I really am grateful for you today, and I really would like to see Jiro again...and you again of course! I mean, I really..." He placed one hand on your shoulder to calm you down and gave you a reassuring smile. You dip your head, embarrassed once more. Why is it that every time you tried to interact properly with beings of the opposite sex, it turned out so embarrassing or so dangerous? Things didn't seem to be working with you at all!

"I get what you mean! I really enjoyed talking with you too. Here's my number, send me a text to let me know it works!" He shoved a slip of paper into your hands and it was your turn to regard him skeptically. You didn't see him holding any paper or pen of the sort, so when had he had the time to write out his number?

"You don't keep slips of your number in your pocket just in case girls ask for them, do you?" You blurted, unable to keep silent.

"Eh? ..No..no, of course not! Even I'm not that vain, hahah! Truth is, I've been planning to keep in contact with you anyway." You started at him and he shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "You're quite cute, you know?" He casually replied.

You hiccup as your whole face turns red. Yamamoto pats you on the cheek before waving a friendly farewell, striding into the rain looking like he was in his element. You press both hands to your cheeks and let out another confused hiccup before deciding to race up the stairs to your apartment, shutting the door firmly.

* * *

The second time you encountered Yamamoto was, ironically, when you were back at the duck pond. You were too attracted to the liveliness and the peaceful atmosphere of the park to leave it alone, although you were careful to leave before the sun started setting. Seeing other people walk their dogs always brought a smile to your face as you remembered Jiro's bounding assaults.

Today, you were feeding the ducks. You were so intent on breaking the bread into little pieces and tossing them into the water that you failed to notice his approaching footsteps. Suddenly, you felt someone shove you from behind and for a terrifying moment, you were tilting towards the surface of the lake. The ducks squawked in alarm and sped away from your falling body, but before you could hit the water, a strong hand snapped out and grabbed you on the shoulder before pulling you back. You find yourself nestled in the strong chest of Yamamoto Takeshi. He smelt like a mixture of Jiro and sushi, and an unidentifiable, almost musky substance you couldn't pinpoint.

You rest there for a while, heart pounding. The adrenaline from the fall was still arching through your spine, and your close proximity with Yamamoto wasn't helping the situation at all. After a while, you finally regain your senses and pound him lightly in the chest. "You scared me!" You tell him. And without meaning to, you choke up. "I...I can't swim, alright!"

Yamamoto watched speechlessly as you buried your face in chest and took deep, gulping breaths to calm yourself down. After a while, he patted you on the head reassuringly and straightened, waiting patiently as you composed yourself.

"How about I teach you how to swim then?" He laughed.

"What," You mumble, still sore about the shock he had given you. "So you can see me in a swimsuit? You pervert." You hit him lightly twice more before stepping away from him, face flaming. You were never the type to be so forward about your affection, but...that just now..._was that flirting? Was I really flirting with Yamamoto? _Just the thought made you want to bury your head in your hands and run away, but you bravely faced his expression. You had a naturally shy nature, so you weren't used to this kind of interaction at all.

He was staring down at you with unguarded amusement.

"No way! Who would want to see _you _in a swimsuit?" He jabbed back, before laughing.

Letting out an angry screech, you chase him around the park, until the two of you are tackled by Jiro and the three of you lie in a panting, exhausted heap underneath the shade of a big oak tree. You lay there, content to just hear the breathing of your two companions. Jiro's tongue lolled out of his jaws, and he let out two successive, massive yawns before shoving his head under your arm for you to pet. You let out a peal of laughter before succumbing to his puppy eyes and giving him a quick rub on the head. Yamamoto sat up and joined in, and soon the two of you had Jiro rolling around in happy fits.

"Hey, can I take you out on a date?" Yamamoto asked suddenly.

The question caught you off guard. Most of the things Yamamoto say nowadays caught you off guard, actually. You dip your head and smiled. "You mean one with sushi or one without?" Although this was only the second time the two of you had met, you had struck up an immediate friendship with Yamamoto Takeshi since that first meeting in his sushi restaurant, and you secretly yearned for more. It helped that Yamamoto was being so forward, but you didn't really know how couples acted in a relationship. So you tended to avoid his questions by shooting back something snarky of your own, and hoping that he doesn't notice your inexperience.

He laughs. "Depends. What would you like to do? Do you want to go to the aquarium? I hear they have a new display of sharks. I know this is very cliche, but I really want to go see the sharks. They remind me of someone. It'll be nice if I could bring you out on a date as well though!" _Going to the aquarium.._it was something most couples did, if shoujo mangas and television shows are anything to go by. Besides, you had been at the aquarium many times already, but then again, there's a saying. It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing, as long as you're with the people you like, right?

"Alright then, Yamamoto! Take me on a date. I want to go to the aquarium, Yamamoto. Take me to the aquarium!"

Jiro barked and sat up happily, tail wagging. His good mood was contagious, and soon the two of you were laughing alongside the canine. Yamamoto swatted Jiro's tail playfully. "Not you too, buddy. You're not allowed inside, because you'll scare all the fish away with your barking." Jiro seemed to understand, but he didn't seem upset about it at all. He merely sat down and grinned at you.

"He's not unhappy at all! What do you feed him, Yamamoto? I can honestly say Jiro's the cutest, happiest dog I've ever met."

"Nah, he's probably just used to seeing fish. We have a big tank in the back of our restaurant to keep some of our produce live as well. Jiro sometimes barks at the fish in that, but usually pops wouldn't allow him to do that because it makes the fish have heart attacks and then we'd have to deal with excess sushi all the time." Yamamoto smiled sadly to himself.

Now that he and Jiro didn't visit the shop as often, he had had to hire a helping hand to run the store. His father had passed away a few months ago, caught in a crossfire between Mafia warfare, and the incident was still fresh on his mind. When he came back to Namimori, he made sure to spend some time working in the shop, but he was still used to talking about his father in present tense, still used to hearing his father working on the fish in the back while he manned the shop up front. Upon meeting you, the hole in his heart had started to slowly heal.

Unbeknownst to you, you had started to lean against his chest as he talked. The rumbling of his voice soothed you. Yamamoto was happy in this position though. He liked having you in his arms, and he wanted it to stay this way. Even though he was usually a man for unconventional ways, he was happy to court you normally. One could only hope that his Mafia life didn't interfere with his relationship with you as well, but Yamamoto knew deep down that it was not possible. If he wanted you to stay with him forever, he had to tell you the truth sooner or later. But that didn't stop Yamamoto from postponing the revelation until later. He wondered what you would think of him if he told you he was in the Mafia. Would you be disgusted? Would you leave him?

You realize that Yamamoto had stayed silent for a while now, and glancing around, you couldn't find the source of his silence...that is, until you realize you had been leaning on his chest the whole time. Mortified, you sat up and shuffled away, hiccupping in embarrassment. Yamamoto laughed. You tended to hiccup when you were embarrassed, and to him, that was one of your cutest traits.

"Hey, don't move away. We're going out now, right? I asked you on a date!" He playfully wrapped his arms around your waist and drew you back into his embrace. You struggle weakly for a few moments before succumbing to his warm hug. Leaning your head against the crook of his neck, you listen to his deep breathing. Jiro was flopped to the side, head on the floor, snoring away. It was another peaceful afternoon, and Yamamoto's greatest fear was that the peace would not last.

"Um...Even though we're in a relationship, can we please p-progress slowly?" You start quietly. Yamamoto shifts you slightly to ensure that you were in a comfortable position before humming in agreement.

"I don't really know how to kiss anyone." You confess, feeling your face burn with the familiar sensation of shame.

"You know...that I could teach you too." And with that, Yamamoto was brushing his lips across your cheeks, stopping just beside your mouth, teasing you. You let out another squeak and turn away from him.

"D..didn't I jus...just say we should progress slowly? Mou, Yamamoto you're too forward!" The feeling of his lips on your skin was burned into your memory, and Yamamoto settled down with his back against the trunk of the tree and you comfortably in his arms. He sometimes wished you weren't so timid, but he had no desire to push you either.

It was all too clear to him that he might not have much time left.

* * *

_"Tsuna, there's really no way to avoid this confrontation?"_

_"Don't question Jyuudaime, you idiot! What do you know about diplomatic reasoning, huh? When a Famiglia says no, they mean NO! They're going to launch this stupid war against us, whether Jyuudaime wishes it or not! Bastards, all of them." _

_Yamamoto was upset at the news, but he kept his cheerful smile stuck firmly on his face as he continued this meeting. He knew his Family needed him to be strong and be calm now, and he had no intention of letting his mask slip. If need be, he would take up the sword and hack down all those who stood in his way. For Tsuna, for the guardians, for everyone. For you. _

_The meeting was soon done and over with, and Tsuna was left clearing the things away from the desk. The meeting room was relatively clean, considering Hibari and Mukuro had to stay in the same room for a more than five minutes. They had thrown verbal abuse at each other, but Tsuna, being the great boss he now is, had managed to placate the both of them before anything became serious. Still, there were papers to be shuffled into a pile, and cups to take back to the kitchen. _

_Yamamoto was the only guardian who stayed behind to help out._

_Hibari didn't particularly care about the state of the shared meeting room. The same could be said for Mukuro. In fact, if Tsuna didn't know better, Mukuro was probably wishing that the meeting had turned into some kind of bloodshed halfway through. Chrome left with him. Lambo was away on a small mission, so he didn't attend this meeting, and Reborn had left to bring him up to speed. Ryohei was back to his rigorous training regime, and Gokudera had excused himself to finish off the paperwork and to take all the calls that had started pouring in from fellow allied families. The situation was tense, and Yamamoto could feel the worry running through his very veins. _

_The whole family was still situated in Namimori, but Tsuna was thinking of moving everyone out, partly because Hibari would throw a fit if Namimori was harmed in any way, and partly because he couldn't bear to watch his hometown get trashed or Kyoko and Haru to get involved in this in any way. The two girls knew of the situation already, but they had also been told explicitly to stay in Namimori so that they would be safe. Tsuna had assured them that they were going to be back soon, and Reborn had simply stated that they would be in the way. Moving everyone to Italy was the right decision, Yamamoto had to admit. The Mafioso groups in Italy had more of a chance at self defense than the peaceful citizens of Namimori had anyway. _

_"Yamamoto, did you need anything?" Tsuna knew that something was bothering the swordsman, with the way he was standing silently behind the Vongola Decimo, one hand in his pocket, the other stroking the scar on his chin._

_"There's someone important to you here, isn't there?"_

_Spot on, Yamamoto thought to himself. He rubbed his chin, unsure of how to begin. _

_"Do I have permission to tell her what's going on, Tsuna? I really don't like leaving her in the dark, and I don't want to suddenly disappear from her life. We had just started going out, and I really enjoy her company, and I want her to be my wife one day, even though it's quite hard for me to do so with such a shady occupation. Please, Tsuna, at least let her know. She can talk to Kyoko and Haru if she has any more questions..." _

_"No."_

_It was the point blank refusal that shocked Takeshi into silence. It was so uncharacteristic of Tsuna to be so harsh and straightforward, but Takeshi knew what he was going to say next. _

_"I refuse to involve anyone else in our business, Yamamoto. If you know what's good for her, keep her at arms length, drive her away from you." _

_"Tsuna..." The words stuck in Yamamoto's throat. He felt such anger and frustration welling up inside him. He wanted to shout at Tsuna, his friend and boss, and claim that he was being selfish, because Kyoko and Haru knew. Why didn't you have the right to know too? Why was it different for Tsuna than it was for Takeshi himself? But he knew that this would not work, not for the family, not for Tsuna. Even looking at the state the boss himself was in, one could see the pressure that was being put on poor Tsuna. His shoulders were weighed with worries and stress, and his eyes were forever dark rimmed with lack of sleep. It was unfair of Takeshi to impose his own views on Tsuna now, even though he thought it was still an disadvantaged situation for him. _

_"Yea... you're right, Tsuna. I shouldn't have been so careless. Look what happened to pops." _

_"Yamamoto..." It was then that Tsuna realized he shouldn't have refused. If the look of complete and utter devastation on Yamamoto's face was anything to go by, Tsuna had just torn the emotional wound on his heart wide open once more. _

* * *

"There's something I have to tell you." He murmured.

The two of you were walking along the river that runs through the town. Below, kids skipped rocks and splashed water at each other. Bikers wobbled along the stony paths and families chatted and laughed.

If it weren't for the fact that the two of you were holding hands, you would've never believed that you were going out with Yamamoto. It just seemed so unbelievable, that such a handsome, nice man was willing to spend time with you. Yamamoto, you had learnt, was one of the most popular males back when he was going to school. He had hordes of fangirls chasing after him at every given moment. You wonder what they'd think of you and Yamamoto right now. They'll probably be so jealous, they'll all turn green.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" It was then that you noticed the seriousness in his tone. He pulled you off the main path and the two of you made your way to the cafe, where he then dragged you over to a private booth. Waiting until you were seated properly was probably one of the most painful moments in Yamamoto's life.

"I don't...I can't do this anymore. I can't spend any more days with you. I just can't." He started. He was glad his voice stayed steady and strong. The waitress brought in two cups of tea, which gave you a lull in his speaking to let the words sink in.

_Was this...a break up talk? _"I don't understand." You reply softly, even though you could feel the terrible pressure of tears building up in your eyes again. There wasn't _much _to understand. Yamamoto refused to look at you, turning away so that he wouldn't have to see the expression on your face.

"W..What did I do wrong, Yamamoto? Is there something about me that displeases you? Is it because our relationship is progressing too slowly?" _I can change for you, Yamamoto..._But truthfully, you didn't really want to change. It terrified you, the speed at which others date and then broke up. Was this happening to you too? You were desperate now, and you reach forward to clutch on his sleeve. The tears spilt out, and you wipe them away slowly, fumbling and clumsy. Was this really a break up attempt? You were so confused. Maybe it was April fool's day today and Yamamoto was feeling especially cruel. But that couldn't be the case, because it was in the middle of February and Yamamoto was not one for cruel jokes.

"I mean what I said." He replies quietly, before standing and leaving you there in the cafe. You hear him pay for the undrunk cups of tea, and you hear his footsteps falter just outside the shop, as if he didn't know what to do without you by his side anymore.

The irony. A few moments ago, you had been so proud and so happy that you had him by your side. And now, he had left you, without a word, without an apology, and without an explanation. You didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the irony at it all.

* * *

Three years later, and Yamamoto found himself standing in front of your apartment door. He had never forgotten your address, all these years. Tsuna had apologized profoundly to him after the Mafia war had died down, and told him to come and find you again. Tsuna had provided him with a private jet and all the arrangements for accommodations, so here he was today, reliving painful memories. There was a bunch of purple hyacinths in his right hand. They were a vibrant purple, your favorite color. And they spoke the apology that Yamamoto was scared he would not be able to get out.

Yamamoto had asked the neighbors whether you were still here or not, and they had confirmed that you were still staying here. The news in itself was a major relief to him. He was fairly sure that you wouldn't commit suicide, but he didn't know what he would do if he found out that you were gone. Just when he was feeling happy about you still being here, the neighbors had to ruin it. They also mentioned that someone had moved in with you. His chance was over, and all Yamamoto could do was to show up here to apologize and move on.

He knocked on the door. Yamamoto waited patiently for a response, but when none came, he raised his eyebrow in surprise. It wasn't like you to be inefficient. Or maybe you had changed more than he thought in the past three years? The thought scared him more than he would like to admit, so he rapped his knuckles firmly against the door once more. Pressing his ear against the door, he listened intently for any signs of life. And that's when he heard you.

Sobbing.

_It's been three years. She's a strong woman. Wouldn't she had moved on by now? _

She couldn't be still sobbing over the break up, Yamamoto realized. It wasn't in your nature to continue grieving for so long. Then he heard the sound of running water, a few last choking sobs, before the footsteps approached the door. He quickly stepped back, putting the bouquet of flowers behind his back. Maybe he could find a way to cheer you up? In times like these, he wished Jiro was with him.

The door opened a crack, and he caught a glimpse of the interior of the apartment. Things had changed while he was gone. Instead of the bookshelf, there was now a T.V. Instead of your beloved potted plants, there were now stereos and shelves of D. , most of which sported violent movies. And were those beer cans on the floor? The air stank with the heavy scent of smoke and alcohol. The windows were all firmly shut. _To keep this apartment soundproof? _

"He's not home right now, so if you're here to see him, please come back some other time." Your voice wavered slightly, and the sound ripped a fresh hole in Yamamoto's heart. It was horrible of him, to have abandoned you so completely. He wish he'd never left. The Vongola was safe, Kyoko and Haru were safe, but were you? And who are you talking about?

"It's me...Takeshi. Will you...let me come in?"

A sharp intake of breath, and then the door tried to close on him. "Don't come in!" He heard your muffled cry, before you burst into tears, sobbing louder than ever. There was something wrong here.

"Hey, mind letting me in? I just want to talk to you for a bit, and then I'll leave."

"No! You can't come in! You can't!" Your voice teetered on the brink of terror and hysterics now. Yamamoto had no choice but to try and force his way inside. There was something definitely wrong with your emotional state, and Yamamoto was going to get to the end of it even if it killed him. He tried to murmur soothingly to get you to move away from the doorway, but you refused to budge. So he tried a harsher tactic.

"If you don't move, I'm going to kick the door down."

That shocked you into running. And as soon as you left the doorway, he quickly pushed it open and chased after you. The bunch of hyacinths lay forgotten in the doorway.

* * *

He found you huddled in the bathtub.

"Hey...hey, I'm not here to hurt you. You remember me, right? Takeshi?"

"Go away!" Came the reply. "If you don't go away, then he'll come home and he'll find out and..." You drew your knees to your chest, shivering violently. Your eyes became unfocused and scarily vacant, and Takeshi took the opportunity to kneel down so that he was eye-level with you. "Go away, Takeshi!" You murmur unhappily, and that's when he noticed the wounds.

There were bruises all along your arm. One spanned across your face, looking a painful mixture of dark purple and sickly yellow. There was a cut across your forehead, and no doubt there were wounds beneath the shirt and sweatpants you were wearing right now. He reached out and gently grasped your arm to try to get you out of the bathtub, but you would have none of it. You cried and fought, squirming in his grip, begging and pleading. "Please don't hurt me." You whimpered as he tried to get a firmer hold on you.

And then you raised your arm, which in turn raised your shirt. In that second, Yamamoto caught a glimpse of a scar on your stomach. A burn mark, one that spanned across your whole waist.

He saw red.

"Who did this to you?" He questioned you quietly. His voice, although calm, wavered slightly with displeasure. The answer was quickly given to him by the sound of a slamming door and a loud voice yelling your name. You cower into the corner, stuttering and gasping with fear. Yamamoto stood silently and barred the way to the bathroom. Soon, your torturer would come walking down the hall. He quietly grasped the hilt of his sword, one which never left his side. You were silent now, arms raised for the incoming blows.

Yamamoto closed the door and left you in the silence. Almost instinctively, you plugged your ears.

It was such a joke. His fight was almost too easy. The man walked right into Yamamoto's line of sight, and from the way he was calling your name and teetering drunkenly, Yamamoto knew he was staring right at the man who hurt you. With a flick of his wrist, a deep gash was carved right into the man's chest. He let out a howl of pain and threw a drunken punch, but Yamamoto easily deflected it with his blade. The man gasped as he was faced with the stub of what used to be his fully functional hand. Usually, Yamamoto fought with the back end of his blade, choosing to knock out and bruise rather than kill. He couldn't bear to hurt unnecessarily, even during a war. But at this moment, all sense had flown out the window. All he could see were the cuts, bruises and burns on you, ones that he knew you were too careful to make on your own.

It was with no regrets that Yamamoto swiftly beheaded the disgusting oaf. He watched impassively as his head lolled onto the floor, a shocked expression still plastered on his face. Making a few phone calls, he briefly told Tsuna of the situation.

Then, the only problem was getting you out of the bathroom. When he opened the door once more, he could still see your huddled form at one end of the bathtub. You were too scared to move, and Yamamoto walking in in a bloodstained state was not going to improve the situation. Instead, he opted to quietly close the door again and sit against it. He felt mentally drained. He wanted you right here in his arms, with your face pressed into the crook of his neck, just like you'd usually sit.

_"I don't really know how to kiss anyone." _He had promised to teach you then, and he would be damned if he didn't live up to his promise. He was never, ever leaving you again.

A few minutes later, Yamamoto could hear sirens. The Vongola medical team burst into the apartment and a few of them were directed into the bathroom. Yamamoto stood to the side as he heard you struggle against them and wail fearfully. Every sound you made ripped another wound inside him, and he couldn't take it anymore. All these emotions, he had kept bottled up inside him, beneath a smiling mask that he thought he could never take off. Ever since his father had died, he had been hurting. It had gotten better, but then he had to leave you, and you probably blamed yourself. And now you had gotten hurt so badly that you were beyond reason, and Yamamoto was the only one to blame. If he had been stronger about his love for you, he would've disobeyed Tsuna's orders. Telling one person who could keep a secret wouldn't put the family in danger, would it? Maybe then, he would've been able to bring you along, or put you in a safer place, where you weren't exposed to people like..like that man.

The door opened, and the medics came out carrying you on a stretcher. Yamamoto's eyes met your fearful, panicked gaze, and he finally broke down.

* * *

It took two years before you started to interact with others normally. It wasn't surprising, considering what the medics speculated you had been through. Multiple beatings, constant mental torture. They omitted some details so that Yamamoto wouldn't get even more upset, but from your posture and your words, you knew that the man had done things that were far worse. The thought made his blood boil.

It was all he could do to hold you quietly against his chest when you woke up gasping and screaming from a nightmare. It was all he could do to kiss you goodnight every night and to stay by you so that you wouldn't thrash around and hurt yourself further. It took two months before you stopped begging for your life whenever someone walked near you.

The other guardians all took pity on you, as did Kyoko and Haru. The only person who possibly felt as bad as Takeshi was Tsuna. He had apologized with tears in his eyes when he finally got to see your true state. Takeshi had at first smiled and said that it wasn't his fault, but then Tsuna had told him to stop lying. Then Takeshi had punched Tsuna so hard, he flew across the room. Not even Gokudera had anything to say, turning away and clenching his fists. Instead, Gokudera devoted his time and skill to the medical research team, so that you would get better faster. Ryohei was present for your check ups to help you heal evenly and completely. Hibari hunted down all those associated with the man who had hurt you and found that the situation was even worse than previously thought, because the man had a group of friends who had taken turns beating and torturing you, especially when they were drunk. When Hibari found out, he immediately flew to Namimori from the main base in Italy and eliminated all of them in the most painful way he could possibly think of.

Mukuro sometimes created illusions to calm you down. Yamamoto was grateful that the illusionist was doing so, because there were moments were you went for self harm, and nothing would work unless Mukuro was there to dull your senses and give you pleasant dreams. Mukuro had often withdrawn from your mind silent and pondering, and it made Yamamoto feel even worse. If even Mukuro didn't have a snide remark about it, then what was really there?

It took you three more months before you could speak properly with others again. Even though your sentences were quiet and mumbled most of the time, everyone took the time to carefully decode what you had said and to reply, even Hibari, who was a man of few words. Kyoko and Haru took it upon themselves to busy you with things that you loved doing, like flower arrangement and cooking, reading and sketching. Most of the time though, you could be found in the main library, curled up on one corner of the sofa, a book opened on your lap.

It took one more year to get you to smile again, and another half a year to get you to laugh.

At least, Yamamoto thought, your recovery was well on its way.

* * *

"Takeshi! Look, a sea turtle! It's swimming so slowly. It looks so cute. Let's take a picture with it!"

It frustrated him that they had to start from square one. Even with full recovery, you could not recall any memory of Takeshi before the three years of pain that you had to go through. His leaving had somehow been directly associated to the trauma that you had to go through afterwards, which was understandable. To protect yourself, your brain had opted to omit every memory you had of Takeshi. Takeshi had at first been devastated, but then Tsuna had suggested quietly that the two of you retrace your steps and go back to Namimori. The threat had been completely eliminated; Hibari had been ruthless in his hunt. There was little to no chance of you going into another one of your fits of hysteria, as long as the two of you stayed away from any places that might incite a negative response from you. It mainly included your apartment, so Takeshi did reluctantly agree.

The look on your face when you returned to the duck pond was all worth it. You had run to the edge and leaned over. The ducks swam over and greeted their old friend. Jiro followed closely behind you, yapping and barking at squirrels, birds and ducks.

The two of you sat underneath the same oak tree, visited the same aquarium. Tsuna had wanted them to stay in a hotel, but Takeshi had had a better idea of what you wanted.

The two of you were staying in his old apartment, one floor above 'Takesushi'. And you couldn't be happier, because even though you were spending your days with someone you had only started warming up to in the previous week or so, you somehow knew that he wouldn't hurt you. A nostalgic feeling settled deep in your heart every time you looked at him. The feeling came the strongest when you sat on on the stool near the counter top, Jiro flopping by your feet. Yamamoto would serve you sushi and tea.

"One order of dog food and one order of sushi, coming right up!" Yamamoto would call happily, and you would smile at him, because it was then that you felt a familiar, almost forgotten sensation of someone protecting and watching over you.

He will never leave you again.

And because of his patience and his tender care, you began to _remember_.

* * *

The rest of the days were spent peacefully, and all of Yamamoto's effort was put into helping you recover. After a while, it almost seemed as if the old you had never been suppressed, and even the medical staff had been surprised with your complete recovery. Usually, traumatic incidences caused permanent mental scarring, and there were little to no cases of full recoveries. Yamamoto always proudly declared that you had a strong mental mindset, which helped you get through everything, but you always claimed that it was because Yamamoto was so patient as to help you through it.

But of course, because it's the Mafia, peace never lasts. The night before your wedding, disaster struck once more, and there was nothing _anyone _could've done to prevent it.

It turned out that the men who had been so cruel as to break you were part of a very influential Mafia group. They had, upon hearing that Hibari had come and all but wiped out their whole Japanese branch, decided to cause an uproar. It was dangerous to walk on the streets of Italy now, and Yamamoto had taken to making you stay indoors so that you didn't have to be exposed to the threatening atmosphere. But what he didn't notice was that all this time, you were regaining your mental strength. You didn't want another episode that caused a breakdown. Slowly, vague memories were coming back to you. You remembered being in places that you're sure you've never even seen before, but in all of those memories, the most vivid thing you would remember was Takeshi's smile.

The night before your wedding, you remembered his 'break up' incident. So you decided to question him about it. At first, Yamamoto was shocked that you had regained your memories; you had never given him any indication of it before. But he quickly composed himself. If he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you, he should tell you. He couldn't keep putting off the inevitable. And he told you everything, about his dangerous occupation, about the way he has to fight to keep the Family safe and to stay alive. He talked about his fighting style, the flames that came out of his ring. The more he talked, the more anxious he became. You had a blank expression on as you tried to digest everything that he had just said.

_My boyfriend, now fiance is in the Mafia. _

_My boyfriend, Yamamoto Takeshi, killed many people. _

_I'm going to marry him. Tomorrow._

As Yamamoto was watching you get your mind around the things he had just told you, one part of his mind was screaming at him to just lie and say that it was all a joke. But Yamamoto knew you wouldn't believe him, and that was something painful to him. Now that he had told you, there was no going back.

"Do you think I'm a monster? For killing people? I mean..." He trailed off.

He anxiously awaited your answer, but before you could even answer, a loud crash and explosion shook the mansion.

* * *

Everything was chaotic. People were running around with weapons, screaming. Yamamoto had quickly taken up his Shigure Kintoki and left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him and barring it with a cabinet. You were at loss for what to do. Normally, you would follow the protocol and go and hide somewhere with Kyoko and Haru, but this time it was a true emergency. There was nowhere for you to hide, and nothing for you to fight with. There had been no time for Yamamoto to get you to safety, and no time for anyone to do anything. Everyone was screaming; there were shouts of pain and dying wails right outside the door. You were scared. Was this the world that Yamamoto lived in every day?

Ever since you had met him, the most violent thing that happened to you was what happened with your 'ex-boyfriend'. You had taken multiple beatings every day, and had become so accustomed to them that you hardly felt the pain of the blows anymore. Nevertheless, your self survival instincts kicked in and you found yourself trying to hide in the safest place you knew; the bathtub.

Closing the door quietly, you were left to your own thoughts. You could still hear the painful screams out side, and that triggered another panic attack. Memories resurfaced, of you begging and begging and the pain that struck you over and over from all directions. You clasp your hands over your ears to try to drown them out, but it was all happening inside your head. _Strength_, you urge yourself. _Stay strong. Stay strong. _

Slowly, the lights dimmed. Someone cut off the electricity in the mansion, so your bathroom lights flickered and went out. All you could make out were thudding feet and a few gasps of pain. Your imagination worked overtime, and you fancied you could hear the silent drips of blood, flowing from corpses, seeping under the door. Was Yamamoto outside in the fray? Was Yamamoto slicing people to bits with his sword? All this time, you had thought his Shigure Kintoki was something of a hobby for him. He had told you that his father used to be a kendo teacher, which was why he inherited his sword. You had accepted the fact happily, but now...he was using the sword to take lives.

You slowly let your thoughts settle. Even though you knew Yamamoto was probably a murderer, you wanted to stay by him. He was so...nice. He stood by you even though you were a completely useless, quivering wreck. That alone was enough to convince you...no matter what happened, Yamamoto was going to be your husband. And you would not have anything or anyone else get into the way of things.

At that moment, the door crashed open. Someone had burst into your room.

You covered your ears again and huddled into the corner. The feeling of helplessness washed over you, coupled with a strong dosage of terror and pain. Memories flashed through your mind, scaring you into silence once more. But none of that could distract you from the very real threat lurking just outside the bathroom door.

There was a crash, and the bathroom door toppled over as well. A high, keening noise was piercing the air, and you realize it was coming from you.

Unfortunately, that also meant that the assailant knew where you were hiding. The shower curtains were ripped brutally from in front of you, revealing your huddled self. You look up at the assailant and was surprised to see a woman staring coldly down at you. She was dressed smartly in a business suit like attire, but her skirt had a long slit down the side. _To better movement? _In one hand, she held a katana, one far less fancy than Yamamoto's, but nevertheless, it was threatening and scary.

Something in you snapped. This..._This woman had the gall to come in and trash her...their room..._She was part of the organization that nearly ruined your life, that nearly ruined Yamamoto's, that is forcing Yamamoto to do something that he so obviously detested. You knew that your fiance had a gentler heart than most, and yet...there were people forcing him to kill, because they couldn't control their own bloodlust.

The woman seemed unsurprised to find another 'civilian' cowering in the Vongola Mansion. She had already found Kyoko and Haru, but was quickly chased away by some pesky Vongola guardians. Her lips curled up into a thin, mean smile as she contemplated your death. Who would she be hurting this time? As she raised her katana to strike at you, you instinctively ducked out of the way. Your hand hit the sink mirror and shattered it to pieces, the shards hitting the floor. Some of them hit the woman and she fell to her knees, letting out angry screeches of pain. Some of them hit you, but you didn't so much as flinch. Although you hadn't felt this kind of pain for many years, your muscles remembered the pain, and immediately blocked your mind from receiving many of the signals.

_That's...an advantage. _

You grab one of the mirror shards. You could see your scared reflection in it's jagged edges, so you turned it away from you. The woman was now getting back on her feet, her gaze murderous. She swung the katana, and somehow you managed to bring the mirror shard up to parry. Still, the blade flicked your hand and cut a burning line into your wrist. Again, you manage to keep yourself from reacting to the pain. Adrenaline pumped through your veins. As she lunged forward, you back out of the bathroom.

The fact that she was a woman helped, surprisingly. She was fighting, you were fighting. Women in the mafia _weren't weak. _They were strong. They fought to protect: beliefs, values, family, loved ones. _Just like what Yamamoto was doing. _

The woman had a look of annoyed confusion on her face. You looked weak...no, you _are _weak. You weren't supposed to be able to parry and duck from her attacks. From the way you looked, you didn't have _any _fighting experience at all. How could she be losing to someone like you?

She had resorted to slashing at the air with her katana. More than one strike hit you, but none of them were deep enough to make you collapse. You continue darting about erratically, because that was what you did when he beat you and it worked most of the time. The woman fought unevenly, she was obviously not high in rank but was deemed good enough for a weapon. Finally, you found yourself being cornered between the desk and the closet, so you throw open the closet door to block her attack. She struck her sword deep into the wood, and it stuck there, quivering. She gasped and growled, trying in vain to pull it out of it's place, but before she could get a firm grip on the sword, you throw the closet door open, twisting her blade out of her grasp.

And you watched as the pointed tip slash the woman across the face.

There was blood. So much blood. She was still alive, for although the cut had been deep, it didn't do too much except...blind her in one eye. She was screaming and cursing at you, collapsed on the ground. The blood was pooling around her, staining your bare feet. You had blood on your face, on your hands. You fell on your knees and stayed there, staring at her convulsing figure, until someone ran into the room.

The injured woman was dragged away, and then Yamamoto's strong arms were around you. He cradled you gently against his chest and pressed kisses to your cheeks and your forehead in attempt to calm you down. The shaking sobs eventually went away, and you settled against him.

He smelt of blood.

You smelt of blood.

"You're not a monster, Takeshi. And you never will be." You reply. His only response was to hug you tighter. Warm tears ran down his cheeks and dripped onto your shoulder. _You understood him. At a great cost, you had finally seen what Takeshi deemed important. That's all he cared about, and now that you accepted him and his way of living..._

You understood now, why he chose to take up the sword and eliminate threats.

He was protecting the people he loved.

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to all those who reviewed, favorited and followed since my last update! I'm so uber sorry for the cliche plot, but my head is pounding right now and I think I'm coming down with a cold, so I can't stay up to edit this. If you have any complaints, please just PM or review, and I'll fix it up as best as I can. Remember, Yamamoto can now be requested again.

Giotto x Reader coming up next!


	8. Giotto

Rating: T, swearing, violence, gore...  
Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Everything belongs to Amano-sensei, except for the plotline.  
Genres: Action? Romance (obviously) and probably slight angst. There's a happy ending though, so don't worry :3 I do like happy endings once in a while. Oh. The biggest genre here is probably DRAMA. Yay for plot!

A/N: This is written upon **F Nadeshiko**'s request, so I hope you find this satisfying. I didn't exactly follow your suggestion, but I do hope this is close enough to what you wanted! Sorry, I can't PM you to tell you that it's up, because you didn't sign in when you reviewed, but I hope you see this! Sorry for the long wait. I'm just getting back into the swing of writing, and the last few months for me were hard so I didn't get the time to write.

Anyway, everyone, sit back and enjoy!

* * *

Giotto x Reader

* * *

Giotto sighed and looked around, wine glass balanced precariously in his hand.

The two ladies chatting with him tried in vain to regain his attention, but Giotto has had enough. They had been talking at him for around two hours now, and his feet were stiff and his wine glass was empty. He cast a lazy glance around the room, still ignoring their pleas. G was in the corner, getting himself some fruit punch with one hand. His other hand was stuck inside his pocket, no doubt itching to pull out the cigarette pack that he has in there. Asari was entertaining a whole group of men with his interesting tales of his history in Japan. Daemon had slunk off to who knows where. Alaude was sitting alone on the balcony, calmly sipping his cup of coffee. Nobody dared to crowd around him. Lampo was...teetering down the staircase, holding an expensive looking dish that he no doubt stole from the waiter so that he could eat by himself. Right on cue, an angry waiter rushed down the stairs and started shouting at him. A few minutes later, an unimpressed Knuckles bounded down the stairs after the teen, swinging an arm out at the green haired troublemaker.

Giotto groaned as Lampo managed to successfully dodge the boxer, much to the amusement of the ladies around him. Soon, the young man was surrounded by admirers, and that only inflated his ego. Relief swelled in Giotto's chest. What if Lampo had accidentally sabotaged this social function? It would mean more paperwork, and probably even a Mafia war, if his mistakes were serious enough.

He was seriously considering a holiday, to get away from it all, but he knew the saying. _There is no rest for the wicked. _He wouldn't call his vigilante group 'wicked', because of course there were people like Alaude who were hell-bent on protecting citizens (up to a degree where he's scaring the very people he wanted to protect, Giotto chuckled to himself). Even though they had their hearts in the right places, they were still part of the Mafia, and being in the Mafia had certain requirements. Giotto has merely learnt to handle the cruelty that he had to dish out occasionally to protect others.

_Maybe I should go to Japan one day. From the way Asari is describing it, it seems to be a beautiful, peaceful little country. Of course, there are Yakuza, but nothing we can't handle..._Giotto sighed wistfully and moved away when another crowd of ladies passed him by and thought to bat their eyelashes at him.

Mafioso social parties are what Giotto considers the time when everyone shows their true nature. It was a dirty, savage occasion, concealing its true nature through the appearance of the civilized. Giotto honestly could not name one occasion where he had attended a party just for the fun of it, without getting roped into talking business or marriage (for the Vongola Primo was still single, despite his ruggedly handsome looks). The people who come up to talk to him, besides family members of course, are all people trying to gain something from him.

Soon, Giotto learned to play the game. Now, he skillfully dodged questions and comments aimed to trip him up and make mistakes. The ladies, he sometimes flat out refused to meet, but occasionally there was a mandatory meeting with so and so Famiglia's Don's daughter. All the time, the conversation would quickly switch to the topic of marriage, and Giotto would sigh internally. Were they all so shallow as to try and get a hold of the Vongola's strength that they would blatantly try to _sell _their daughter off to him? He managed to politely refuse each and every one of the suggested arrangements, much to his satisfaction and much to the other Don's frustration, but Giotto knew he wouldn't last long.

The Vongola could not be without an heir, after all.

This time, it was a peaceful negotiation. The Famiglia that was holding the party had been enemies with the Vongola since the young vigilante group's rise to power, and they had caused much trouble in both Vongola and Shimon territory in the past few days. Giotto, always for a pacifist approach before resorting to violence, had decided that he wanted to negotiate with the Don before anything worse happens. The Don had agreed, much to Giotto's pleasant surprise.

So, here they were. Giotto had spent most of the night praying that Lampo and Daemon would not mess anything up, and so far everything was going according to plan.

Giotto let out another long suffering sigh and decided to join his aloof Cloud guardian out in the balcony. It was a better choice than anything else, because with Alaude, nobody would bother him. Sure, he was at risk of getting arrested by the man himself for something or another, but Alaude was reasonable and Giotto was sure he hadn't done anything wrong today.

"Your company is not welcome. Leave." Alaude spoke as soon as Giotto stepped out into the warm night air. He sighed and stretched, ignoring Alaude's words for the moment. The gentle breeze swept through his hair and Giotto rolled his shoulders before collapsing into a chair opposite to Alaude's. The aloof skylark let out a growl of disapproval, but he hadn't taken his handcuffs out yet so Giotto supposed this arrangement was okay.

"You know the saying, Alaude. Two's company, but three's a crowd!" Giotto replied cheerily, and Alaude scoffed and looked away. Silence settled thickly between the two of them, at least until Giotto decided to break it by asking Alaude a question out of the blue.

"Hey, Alaude, what do you say to moving to Japan? Asari's always talking about it, and I was thinking, this town is peaceful enough. Maybe even for a holiday or something. I just...feel like we need to get away from this for a while. What do you say?"

Alaude was silent for a while, and the only things that Giotto could hear were the rustling of the tree leaves as the summer breeze shook their branches, and the muffled murmur of the ongoing party. He could hear a loud yell, no doubt from Knuckles or Lampo, coming from the ballroom. _Let them sort their own problems out for once, _Giotto thought nonchalantly. He's had too little time to relax these past few days, and he was in no hurry to relinquish this little piece of time to himself.

"Japan is a very...disciplined country." Alaude said.

Giotto almost choked on his own spit in surprise. He honestly wasn't expecting the platinum blond to respond in any way, but his Cloud guardian had actually been thinking about his question!

He settled back into his chair happily. Perhaps there was a companion in Alaude after all.

"I know what you mean. Everyone there is pretty polite...and they have an interesting culture, don't you think? I was thinking that Asari was missing his hometown as well, since he talks so animatedly about it all the time. And maybe even Lampo and Knuckles would be able to fit right in. I bet they wouldn't mind peace and quiet for a bit! Hey, perhaps even Daemo-"

Giotto flicked his head to the right, the handcuffs just barely scraping his cheek. He let out a nervous chuckle as Alaude's face darkened with his unsuccessful hit.

"You talk too much, weakling."

Giotto laughed and stood. He had outstayed his welcome, and if he stayed any longer, Alaude would no doubt walk out of the party, which would be bad for both the Vongola's reputation and the Giotto's time management, because then there would surely be a flood of letters asking him what part of the party was unsatisfactory. These Dons were all out to please Giotto, which gave him a big headache. Even though the Vongola was a young organization, they had already rose to one of the top positions in the Mafia world because of their astonishing powers (and because of Alaude's infamous reputation throughout Italy, Giotto added silently).

"I'll be taking my leave now, Alaude. Enjoy the coffee." Giotto addressed the silent man quietly and politely, before once again turning to face the glass paneling. He put one hand on the handle and sighed. He really didn't want to go back into the party. Who knows who the Don would stick on him next?

Before he could take another step, the glass behind him shattered.

* * *

Alaude was up in a flash, handcuffs ready. If this was a prank on a stupid drunk weakling's part, he wouldn't not hesitate to punish someone. Alaude only tolerated these social functions because he knew that there were times when the weaklings, intoxicated with alcohol, decided to act in uncouth manners. More than once, he had to save annoying, shrieking women from men who had drunk too much and had decided to hit on them. Once, he vividly remembered having to pull two men apart. They had been openly insulting each other's Famiglia and were about to resort to blows had he not stepped in. Most of the time, Daemon Spade was involved in it in some way or another, which explained Alaude's extreme intolerance of the man's presence. He disliked anything that disrupted the general order of things.

So, what had happened now?

Molten pieces of glass showered down around the two men's feet. Giotto had his gloved hand up, his quick reflexes having saved him from being pierced multiple times by the deadly shards. This wasn't an assassination attempt, he realized. It was much too sloppy, uncoordinated. And besides, if it was an assassination attempt, then Giotto would have realized because his hyper intuition would've warned him beforehand. A quick glance in Alaude's direction confirmed his suspicions. There was someone troublesome and foolish out in the room, but they had to proceed carefully, because sometimes fool could be as dangerous as assassins.

The man was easy enough to spot. He was standing in the middle of the ballroom, a half filled glass of wine in his hand, swaying all over the place. Obviously overly drunk. Or...Giotto's eyes narrowed. _A ruse? What was he playing at? _

His hyper intuition spiked without warning, and Giotto was already moving forward. Alaude stayed hot on his heels, cuffs swinging dangerously from one hand. But still, they were too late. The 'drunk' swayed one last time, aimed at the host of the party, the Don of a formidable Famiglia whom Giotto was trying to ally the Vongola to. A single shot rang out, and screams pierced the air as the surprised Don fell to his knees. Blood spurted from his shoulder.

"There's still time, Alaude!" Giotto gasped. The events were unfolding too quickly, and panic was sure to escalate if he didn't do something. He was upon the man before anyone could blink, throwing a flaming punch at his hand. To his surprise, the man dodged neatly and darted out to the left, bowling over an unsuspecting couple. They gasped and tripped, blocking Giotto's path. Luckily, Alaude was on it, sprinting after the man with his glowing handcuffs at the ready.

"Everybody calm down!" Giotto yelled, rushing to the fallen Don's side. The man coughed, blood spraying the front of Giotto's suit. The man sneered at him, and Giotto could only look back in mute surprise. Slowly, the man's lips moved, but Giotto could hardly process what he was saying.

"...You Vongola bastards, you planned this didn't you?" The injured Don rasped. Giotto was glad that nobody could hear this current conversation, because he simply _could not _figure out why he was being blamed for this.

"I did not, but let's not argue about this now, you're injured, and you're dying. We must get you to a medical facility..." Giotto stuttered. _Keep calm, you fool. I didn't initiate this attack, and there will be time to clear the family name later. Right now, what's most important is making sure this man doesn't die. _

"YOU FUCKING TWO FACED BASTARDS!" The man suddenly screamed in anger. The guests surrounding Giotto and the fallen Don suddenly reeled backwards, gasping. Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the whole room, and Giotto could only glance around helplessly and try not to shout back in indignation. The Vongola hadn't done anything! He desperately wanted to argue, but it was too late.

Sometimes, people are blind. The guests at the party only saw what they wanted to see. The people on the Vongola side saw their protector and leader, calmly trying to keep the situation under control and helping this man to the infirmary. But the other Family's supporters saw...the Vongola boss had assassinated their own boss. They had been double crossed. What was meant to be a peaceful function had now spiralled out of hand, because there had been an assassination attempt, on their boss no less. Murderous rage filled the room and the two sides quickly backed away from each other, reaching for weapons.

"Wait! Everyone, calm down!" Giotto cried desperately, even as the man he was supporting pushed him away harshly and stood defiantly. The Don gripped his shoulder and let out a cry of anger. "KILL THE VONGOLA BASTARDS!"

Giotto could only watch helplessly as the ballroom descended into madness.

* * *

The women screamed and ran for cover, but some of them were gunned down before they could even reach the doors. Giotto backed to the Vongola side, where the guardians were already ready with their rings and boxes. Although they didn't have experience on their side, they made up for it in flame strength. As they let their rings flared to life, Giotto could only think with pride that the Vongola were far from going down just because of a false accusation.

Yet, one part of him cried out in horror as blood started covering the floor.

Surprisingly, Asari was the first guardian to retaliate. He swept forward, sword swinging. The people who tried to get in his way got knocked out with the butt of his katana, but those who tried to kill him or the other guardians got savagely slashed. Asari's eyes were not bright with laughter anymore. Instead, they were replaced with a strange dullness as Asari mechanically plowed through all those who stood against him.

Giotto felt horrible. Was he so bad of a boss that he had to make his dear friends and companions go through with something they obviously had no wish to partake in?

Even as he was thinking this, Lampo surged into the battleground. He had just saw a women from the Vongola side get cruelly shot in the head, and that sparked his rage. In the young teenager's opinion, defenseless ladies were to be left out of violent conflicts. If the woman could fight, then it's free game, because women should never be underestimated for their determination and their skill in wielding weapons. But the woman who had been shot was the wife of one of the Vongola's loyal subordinates, and Lampo had seen the opponent turn to deliberately shoot her, even as she was trying to get away.

Her husband was now howling with rage, recklessly shooting at any enemy that moved. Tears streamed down his face endlessly. Soon, his choked cry rang out. Someone had decided to pierce him through the heart with a throwing knife.

Giotto processed all this with widened eyes, darting through the masses and hitting people to knock them out. The true cruelty of this family started to unfold before his very eyes as he watched them slaughter the Vongola subordinates without stopping. Women and men alike got cut down with a spray of bullets. Some men and women were dragged kicking and screaming into corners, where they got repeatedly stabbed with shards of glass, knives or anything the opponents could get their hands on.

The more he saw, the more horrified Giotto became. The Vongola side were still trying hard not to get enraged at the sights they saw; the men were being efficient rather than giving into their emotions. They let the women flee to safety, they let the men beg for their lives and merely tossed their weapons away so that they could then follow their wives and girlfriends to the safety zones. When they had to kill, they did it as efficiently as possible to eliminate the pain the enemies would feel. On the other hand, the opponents were being merciless. They stabbed and left people to bleed to their deaths on the floor.

Giotto turned as he felt a presence behind him, his hand swinging out. He stopped when he saw the frightened eyes of one of the women of the enemy famiglia.

* * *

You gasp as you face the flames of the Vongola Don, bracing yourself to be hit. But when he stilled his fist, you were filled with conflicting emotions of both pain and happiness. His eyes looked so forlorn and confused, as if he couldn't believe this was happening. But you knew very well what was happening. Your father had made you go through training and had made you fight on the battlefield on many occasions, but you found that weaponry was not your calling. Instead, you preferred to be a healer.

The Vongola boss turned away and you dart to the nearest injured man. It was an unfamiliar face, a man from the Vongola Family. He was groaning in pain, one hand on his broken ankle. You shush him gently and take the swollen appendage in your hand. Quickly snapping it back into place you give him a shot of painkiller, taken from the small pouch tied to your waist. You watch anxiously as he moans. Ripping off the hem of your unnecessarily frilly dinner gown, you quickly bandage it to keep it in place. Slipping your arms under his back, you prepare to drag him into an unoccupied corner so that you could give him more medical remedies. Then you had to hurry, hurry back to the fight and save more lives.

Before you could make a move, someone stepped on your hand and kicked you to the side. You let out a cry of pain and look up to see the murderous look on your father's face.

He was holding his shoulder. _That's right, he was shot just a few seconds ago. _

"You traitorous bitch." He growled lowly in his throat, before slapping you off to the side. You clumsily block the incoming blows, able to predict his movements only because you had once trained with him. You remember everything, how painful the slaps and punches had been even when you were a toddler in the training room. How he shouted and cursed at you, called you a disappointment because you weren't a boy. How you learnt to eventually fight back, honed your instincts into that of a killer and a fighter. Been sent off to the battlefield as if you were nothing but expendable, and having to face your father's disappointed looks when you came back alive.

And then one day on the battlefield, the person next to you gets shot in the leg. He goes down screaming, and without thinking, your hand was on the wound, stopping the bleeding. With fumbling fingers, you manage to get the bullet out. It hadn't gone very far into the flesh, so you were able to then rip up a part of your shirt to bandage up the wound.

Later, your father found out and you received a brutal beating. But when you limp to the infirmary to get some cream for your own wounds, you see the subordinate's smile, hear his 'Thank you'. And you decide that the battlefield is where you are meant to be, but the soldier was not your role.

You hated your father. The man above you, kicking and screaming at you, was not the man you would call father. His blood trailed down his arm, but the blows come relentlessly. The man did not care for his subordinates, dying in the fray just a few meters behind him. All he cared about was how much of a disgrace and a lying traitor his daughter was, all because she didn't have the heart to discriminate between opponents on the battlefield and decided to heal one of the Vongola's men. Truth be told, you knew you should prioritize some of the members in your own family, but in times like these, when they decide to mindlessly paint the walls of a room red with the blood of their enemies, you feel like you could not connect with them at all.

Least of all, you could not connect with your father.

* * *

G cursed and pulled the hysterical Don off the woman on the floor. The woman had been fending off his blows almost mechanically, but as more and more started to land, G saw that she had started to falter. The blows were landing on her arms, neck, back and face, and it was starting to become dangerous. Although G didn't particularly care for anyone of the other Family, he knew that Giotto would blow his top if he didn't do something about it, which would result in the situation becoming even worse. So G did what he called 'situation control', where he tossed his pride away into the farthest reaches of his mind and decided to lend a helping hand to the enemy.

The room was almost completely demolished, but the fighting continued. The enemy Famiglia were capable of cruel acts to the extent that G had never seen before. They had started killing anyone in sight, regardless of whether they were of the same side. Anyone who didn't have the strength to take a gun and pull the trigger anymore got shot. Those who stayed standing and were on the same team were not given a second glance, at least until they get injured and they drop their weapon.

The Famiglia...no, G hurriedly corrected himself. They could not be considered Family, with the way they were treating each other. Husbands were killing their wives without a second glance, because the women were fleeing and getting in the way of their shots. Friends gunned each other down without so much as a flicker of emotion crossing their face. It was brutality to a level that G hoped he would never have to witness again.

The woman in his arms flinched as he grabbed her arm, but he hurriedly tossed her into the nearest room so that she would not get hurt.

As he ran back out to join the fray, he saw her dart out of the room and crouch down next to an injured Vongola subordinate. At first, he sorely regretted saving her life when he saw that she had her hands on his chest. But then his mouth opened in shock as she starts pumping the man's chest. Soon afterwards, the man coughed and spat out a glob of blood, breathing steadily. There was a look of relief on her face as she quickly dragged him out of the way of the fighting before diving back in herself to find the next injured man.

"G, did you see that?" Giotto was beside him in an instant, blocking the spray of bullets that had come their way. G shook his head mutely.

"This is the _Mafia. _I can't believe someone like that still exists."

Giotto gave him a hurt look. "I would do that!"

G snorted. "Yea, if you weren't so busy killing the opponents."

"Hey, this is for the good of the Family and you know i-"

The bullet hit him squarely in his chest and Giotto reeled forward, blood spurting from his mouth. G let out a horrified cry as the Vongola leader fell to his knees. _Damn, what the fuck do I do? This is insane, where are the others?  
_  
As if answering his plea, Alaude and Asari were by his side in an instant. Asari quickly hefted Giotto up and dragged him into a nearby room so that he was out of the fighting area before running to rejoin the fight, sword shimmering. He wasn't using the back of his sword anymore, G noted with grim satisfaction. _About time, you flute obsessed idiot. _

Alaude was being ruthless as ever, sparing the 'weaklings' no glance as he knocked them out of the way left and right. Soon, the Don realized that he could never win this fight. Thinking only about himself, he flees out of the doorway with a couple of surviving subordinates straggling behind. Still, subordinates continued the struggle with the Vongola people, and they were keeping them busy through sheer numbers alone.

The distraction of your father leaving you behind allowed you enough time to go save the Vongola Don's life.

* * *

On the battlefield, being a medic is highly dangerous.

You dart past those still locked in struggles and duck into the room. Letting the door fall shut behind you, it took you a while before you adjusted to the darkness that shrouded the room.

The blonde was leaning against the wall. His breathing was labored. You dug in your pouch and take out a sterilized tweezer and a couple of cotton balls. Shuffling towards him, you were glad that he didn't raise a hand against you as you gently swap at the wound before locating the bullet.

"It's going to hurt." You tell him. Under the cover of darkness, you could see that his amber eyes were half-lidded, but you couldn't tell if he was conscious properly or not. The man was switching between a state of consciousness and semi-consciousness, you realize. The sound of your voice made him stir slightly, but before he could come to properly, you quickly dip the tweezers into the wound with practiced ease and jerk the offending metal out of his body.

Giotto let out a raspy groan as the pain spread in his chest. He could feel the warm liquid spreading slowly across his skin, accompanied by waves of pain. His eyes shot open, and automatically, his hand wrapped around your neck.

You stare him down, unable to stop the flicker of fear passing through your eyes. Giotto seemed confused at your current positions, but even as he was trying to wrap his mind around the situation, your hands were working automatically across his chest. You had a needle and some string in one second, the next minute his wound was cleaned, sutured and neatly sealed shut. When Giotto finally thought to let go of you, you were already swabbing the blood off the surrounding skin area.

"...I-If you let the wound bleed too much, you'll die. I-it didn't h-hit anything m-major, Vongola Don. T..The bullet b..bounced off a r-rib." You stutter out an explanation, hoping that the hand didn't grab your neck again.

Suddenly, his gaze turned kindly as he realized what you had done for him.

"You healed me, didn't you?" He asked you. You nod dumbly, partly confused as to why he would ask such an obvious question. If the gaping hole in his chest was not so much of a hole anymore, then what was the point of his question?

"Well..." He coughed and you put one hand on his back to steady him. Giotto blinked. Your hand was incredibly soft and your touch was gentle. For someone who was accustomed to the harsh conditions of Mafia life, this was quite different. Nevertheless, your touch soothed him, and his coughs quickly subsided.

"I would like to thank you properly. If there's anything I can do to repay you..." He let the sentence trail off, his smile a promise of fulfilment. You feel your heart swell with an unfamiliar emotion, but before you could reply him, the door crashed open.

The pink haired man who had helped get your father away from you earlier had an indefinable look on his face. Without hesitation, he stepped towards you and screamed at you, making you recoil in fright. He let the ring on his hand flare to life, and that's when you knew that he was going to attack you. You fled out the door, confused and scared, all the while seeing the Vongola Don's kindly smile in your head.

* * *

"G! She healed me, G! That was completely unnecessary!"

G was not only confused, he was pissed off as well. Who in the world would go around healing enemies and friends alike? That woman was an idiot, and Giotto was just being kind. What if the woman had been trying to take his life? What then? What if G didn't appear on time and she was actually preparing to stab Giotto through the heart? _That last one was a bit unnecessary, _G had to admit. But there was one other thing that prevented him from just taking Giotto's kindly bullshit and accepting his scolding.

"Giotto, even if you did want to know who she is properly and thank her or whatever the fuck else you want to do, you have to realize that she's the fucking enemy Don's daughter."

_That shut him up, _G thought.

* * *

Even though Giotto knew it was wrong to fall in love with someone in the enemy famiglia, he couldn't get you out of his mind. Giotto had always been an honest man, so he didn't bother lying to himself. He was in love with you, and he had good reason to be, he told himself. It was rare that he found another human being with such an indiscriminate and trusting nature. He could still see your expression even as he held your neck in his hand. One quick squeeze could kill you, and yet you had calmly stitched him up and cleaned the wound without so much as a fuss. He felt guilty, recalling the flicker of fear that had shot through your expression before melting away without a trace.

He gingerly inspected the wound in the mirror. It had healed cleanly; the Vongola doctors had even praised your handiwork, and wrote it off as G having been the one to perform such an intricate operation in such a short amount of time. It was a good guess, since G had intelligence unparalleled by any other in the Vongola, but it wasn't true. Giotto sighed ruefully.

* * *

There were only so many things that Giotto was able to admit straight-faced to his right hand man, and his obsession with finding you was not one of them. The only thing he wanted to know was whether or not you were doing okay, that's what he argued within himself. But truthfully, he knew he just wanted to see you, to see the expression on your face and to be able to tell you that you weren't someone he was just going to forget.

The Vongola Primo had an infatuation, and he wasn't about to admit it to anyone.

Amazingly, nobody noticed anything. Except for Daemon, surprisingly. Giotto had always thought that Daemon was a person least susceptible to emotions, right after the apathetic Cloud guardian. But when Daemon waltzed into Giotto's office with an announcement for the Boss himself to hear, Giotto could only splutter and choke on his tea as he regarded the watermelon head before him with new light in his eyes.

"You're in love with someone, aren't you, Vongola Primo." It wasn't even phrased as a question. It was a statement, as if the man already knew. For most of his life, Giotto had been questioning his sanity when he accepted Daemon Spade into his Famiglia, but up until right now, he had never felt the need to rethink his decision. As Daemon faced him with a smirk, Giotto felt rare anger welling up inside him. _What is it to you, Mist Guardian?_He wanted to shoot back at him, but he held his tongue before he could say anything he regretted. Why was he being so defensive about it again?

Daemon looked so smug and full of himself that Giotto had for one second thought this was some kind of sick prank. He wouldn't put it past the elusive mist to have looked into his mind or something. Yet, even Giotto had to admit that he was in love! So how had the mist guardian known?

Suddenly, Daemon's expression changed. He took on a serious tone and sat in front of Giotto's desk as if he had come in to consult the boss. Giotto was taken aback; never before had he been able to get Daemon to sit in the chair properly. The Mist had always kept with standing in the corner or right in front of Giotto, preferring to look down on the Vongola Boss rather than talk face to face. Now that Daemon had so openly sat down in front of Giotto, one could almost say they were equals. Daemon had an unfaltering expression on his face, and Giotto was starting to get unnerved by the man's seriousness. Is there no trick up the illusionist's sleeve? Just who was holding the ace card in this situation? Was there blackmail involved? With Daemon Spade, it can be said that 99.9% of the time, there was some dirty play or blackmail involved, so Giotto could hardly believe his eyes when Daemon shook his head as if reading his mind.

"I'm here to give you some advice." Daemon uttered with confidence.

Giotto shook his head in wonder. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Daemon Spade?"

Daemon let out a chuckle, but his eyes held Giotto's gaze steadily. "Love is no laughing matter, Giotto. It can either cause a lot of pain or a lot of joy, and I'm here to make sure it doesn't go wrong for you. Don't you feel glad that someone here is willing to help you along? You know what, everyone else is eliminated. Lampo is too young to have experienced such a strong emotion. Knuckles is a _priest._Alaude is probably not even human..." At this point, Giotto felt the need to interject with a cough. It was just like Daemon to start off by insulting every one of the other guardians' and their incompetence in certain areas, but Giotto would like to keep the conversation quite peaceful, thank you very much. It was sailing into dangerous waters when the name 'Alaude' is mentioned.

"What makes you think I would need advice?" The Vongola boss had decided to let down his guard just this once. Would it make a difference if he decided to trust his mist guardian with one matter? He thinks not. Instead, he let the curiosity dwelling deep in his heart resurface, and is willing to listen to Daemon's 'advice' in earnest.

"I know who you're after. The woman who had healed you the other night, am I correct?" Once again, Giotto was stunned with Daemon's observation. He was spot on, and considering G had not even mentioned anything about the encounter afterwards, it was pure miracle that Daemon is able to bring it up with such confidence. Suddenly, Giotto wasn't so sure. Wasn't love a personal matter? Why did Daemon have to confront him about it?

"I would say that it's a dangerous thing to go for, because you do know that she's the daughter of the Don the Vongola is accused of attempting to murder, correct?" Giotto nodded. G had all but thrown that in his face.

Daemon looked down, saddened. "Well, love is one thing, and forbidden love is another altogether. Have you read Romeo and Juliet?" _Of course, _Giotto thought with irritation. It's almost as if Daemon's suggesting that he's an unlearned man...And then the realization hit him.

"You think I'm going to kill myself over her?" Giotto interrupted incredulously.

The notion was almost unthinkable to him. To abandon his Family because of a woman, and to do so in such an undignified manner...Did his love for you really run that deep? Was he willing to die for you?

"I don't even know her that well!" He cried. Daemon cast him an amused glance.

"Love at first sight is often coupled with forbidden love, is it not? And besides, you think of her often enough, if your lack of productivity is anything to go by." He gestured to the piles of paper still unmarked on Giotto's desk, and the blonde was suddenly speechless. He _did _love you that much. He had been putting off Family matters just to think about you, the way you held his gaze so tenderly and caringly when you were healing him. The way your hands traced across his chest gently, the way you made sure not to agitate his wounds even though you were part of the enemy family and it was a perfect assassination opportunity...even though you could've avenged your father...

"Daemon, she doesn't have a good relationship with her father does she?" Giotto suddenly quietly remarked. Daemon nodded.

"Correct. In fact, remember the man G had pulled off her during the fight?"

_Someone had been beating you? _Come to think of it, Giotto did remember that you had numerous bruises on your arms and face when you came to treat him. During that moment, he had been delirious with pain and shock, and he had written it off as splotches of dark shadow dotting your face. Now that he finally came to relive his memories of that night properly, he realized that you had been hurt. And yet, you had immediately tended to his wounds first.

"She's a selfless creature." Daemon remarked, to which Giotto bristled.

"She's no 'creature', Daemon Spade. You shall refer to her as a human, unlike how you dehumanize the rest of us!" Daemon held up his hands in defeat, chuckling.

"I don't dehumanize the rest of you. Except, perhaps, the discipline freak of a skylark that we have living underneath the same roof. You know, I still wonder at your sanity for housing such a dangerous animal. He could go ballistic on us...scratch that, he _does _go ballistic on us! All the time! Arresting us as if we were his playthings and cuffing us to Vongola antiques! Put him on a chain next time, Primo!"

Giotto sighed and rubbed the sides of his head, praying that Alaude didn't just happen to be passing by and hearing Daemon Spade badmouth him. The Cloud guardian seems to have some kind of freakish sixth sense when it came to disciplining the rest of the Family members, and Giotto hadn't been spared from his harsh treatment.

"Back to the topic on hand." Daemon swirled Giotto's cup of tea lazily in the air, watching the cold liquid slosh at the sides of the cup. Giotto opened his mouth to protest, but decided better of it. It wasn't like it was going to be flung out a window or anything, right? Although last time, Lampo had thrown his favorite china set out the window because...To his immense relief, Daemon put the cup down and leaned forward for the final blow.

"My advice is to go for a secret relationship."

That came as such a surprise that Giotto clenched his pen a little too tightly. Ink splattered all over his parchments, and he let out an agonized groan. "I've been working on that since this morning!"

"Nope. You've been working on that since five minutes ago. You were probably daydreaming this whole morning. What are you up to in your daydreams? Marriage? Have any kids yet?"

_Screw the porcelain cup. _Giotto picked it up and hurled it at the watermelon head. Daemon ducked, and drifted out of the room chuckling.

_Why did I decide to listen to his advice in the first place? The man is delusional!_

It was then that Giotto finally noticed the little present his Mist had left him. On the table (Giotto swear it wasn't there a second ago, especially not when he had been trying to aim at the man's head with his favorite teacup), there was a neat little envelope.

_Invitation to the Black Rose Famiglia's Masquerade Winter Ball:_

_Dear Sir,_

_You are cordially invited to attend..._

Giotto zoned out. Would he really be able to meet you again? And then he shook his head, chuckling. His mist guardian was really something, playing Shakespeare to his 'forbidden love'.

* * *

The six months passed by in an instant. The summer air is quickly replaced with the peaceful atmosphere of autumn, and then that was replaced with the biting cold of winter. But to Giotto, winter couldn't have come by slower. He was all prepared, with his suit ironed weeks before hand. He had someone tailor make a mask that was cleverly designed to be simple and secretive, but left enough of his eyes visible to let you know that he was here for you. Giotto was nervous. What if you didn't recognize him at all? What if you hated him for what he had done to the Black Rose's previous meeting with the Vongola?

And the most worrying of all: what would happen if you rejected him?

Giotto shook his head. He hadn't told anyone else of his plans to 'crash the party', but he suspected that Daemon had informed everyone else already. Sometimes, G would pass him in the hall and give him an encouraging pat on the back. Knuckles would smile knowingly at him. Even Lampo walked into his office and told him that ladies liked red roses the best, although Giotto wasn't sure if that particular flower suited your tastes. Nevertheless, Giotto did take Lampo's advice, fastening one crimson flower to his breast pocket to complete the look.

He inspected himself in the mirror. He looked nearly unrecognizable, shrouded all in black with a dark mask upon his face. He had been warned to keep his eyes lowered most of the time for fear that someone in the other Family would recognize him and think that he was back to do more harm than good.

But Giotto was ready. His heart was steady in his decision. Six months had been long enough for him to come to face the truth, and the truth is he _is _in love with you, and it was an occasion of cheesy love at first sight, but he wasn't about to let you go that easily.

* * *

It was with an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu that Giotto stepped into the ballroom that night. Although there had been a war in this very mansion just a few months ago, everything had been restored to normal. The floors were clean, the tables were set, there was no indication that anything had ever happened.

Wasn't this almost an exact reenactment of Romeo and Juliet? Once again, he questioned his Mist's motives. Out of all the guardians, Daemon Spade had been the most encouraging, helping him pick out a suit and making sure that he was unrecognizable when the mask was worn. Daemon had even suggested that he accompany the Vongola Primo, just in case something happens, but Giotto had politely refused. Secretly, he thought that most of the time Daemon was present, trouble followed, so perhaps something bad would be prevented if Daemon weren't present at all. But now, he was starting to regret this decision. This party had been open to the public, and Giotto felt out of his element. Even though he was getting used to the Vongola's riches and lavish lifestyle, there was still some getting used to aristocratic meetings, something that Daemon is far to experience in.

Almost immediately, he caught sight of you. His breath caught in his throat. Although you were wearing a simple dinner gown, a purple and flowing dress, it complemented your pale skin beautifully. You were wearing a mask, but Giotto knew that the kind gaze underneath that mask was something that he would never mistake for anything else.

As he let his eyes slowly follow your movements, he caught onto something darker underneath your skin. His hands clenched as he realized it was another bruise, already on it's way to becoming fully healed but nonetheless a mark upon your otherwise unblemished skin. Without thinking about anything really, Giotto decided to follow you, keeping pace with you as you stepped onto the balcony and let the cool night air wash over you. Funny, how Giotto seemed to find himself on the balcony a lot, and the similarity to Romeo and Juliet's famous scene had his stomach flipping in anxiety. This time, both of you were firmly outdoors. To his surprise, you initiated the talk.

"Bold of you to show up, Vongola Primo." _So you had recognized him immediately as well. What a surprise._

Giotto let out a small chuckle, taking off his jacket and draping it over your shoulders. You accept the clothing article gracefully, drawing it around your slim figure. Your thin arms are swallowed up into the mass of black silk, but the warmth is definitely something to be grateful for.

"I wanted to see you again." Giotto said truthfully, and you blush.

"Really? But...I'm the daughter of a man who hates you. Doesn't that mean the feeling should be returned? I'm his kin. Flesh and blood."

"A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." Giotto quoted dramatically, holding the red rose out to you. His teasing drew out a few light chuckles from you, and the Vongola Primo felt a sense of accomplishment that he has never felt before. You rub your shoulders gently and he smiles at you kindly.

"Even though you're wearing a mask, I can tell that it's you by the way you walk. And also, you seem to favor your left hand, even though you're supposedly right handed. Has it still not healed?" You reach out to touch his lapel gingerly, tracing over his bullet wound. Giotto shrugged, trying not to let the pain of the sudden movement get to him.

"During recovery, I've often used my left hand to handle things that I usually do with my right. So I guess it's more to do with habit?" Your hand lingers on his chest for a moment longer than necessary, and Giotto's perceptive gaze does not miss your quiet desires.

"I assure you I am fine. In fact, you should be more worried about your own health. Why didn't you tend to your own injuries first? That...that night you saved my life." You blushed a darker shade as his gaze trailed innocently down to your revealed legs. Although you knew he had no lacivious intentions, it was still embarrassing for you. In response, you back away from him, and Giotto realized his mistake, quickly muttering a soft apology. Giotto was honestly curious about why you didn't tend to your own needs first. Normally, people aren't so selfless as to tend to others, and although he was perfectly willing to accept selflessness as a reason on your part, he was genuinely interested in your own reasons.

"I saved your life to spite my father." You answer quietly.

If Giotto was taken aback by your answer, he showed no sign of it. Instead, one warm hand went to grip your cold one, rubbing warmth into your exposed skin. You let him hold your hand, reveling in the strength you could feel from his touch alone.

"I hate my father. He doesn't understand me at all." You stare up at him earnestly. If this man were willing to listen to you, you would pour your soul out for him to inspect. If he was willing to accept your faults, then you would play the Juliet to his Romeo and then...

_...and then what?_

"He commands my every move, until I found my medical calling. Since then, I've refused to lift a hand against anyone on the battlefield. It wasn't my fault that I was born to a Mafia background. It wasn't my fault that I was born female, even though he so obviously wanted a male. You know what he did? He poisoned my mother. He called her a failure, and poisoned her, all because she gave birth to me. If anyone should be blamed for her death, he said, it should be me." You laugh bitterly. "You know what's ironic? It's the male chromosome that determines the gender of the baby. So it should be him who died!"

Inside, on the ballroom dance floor, couples were locked in each other's embrace, swaying gently to the music. A couple ventured close to the balcony doors, and on impulse you pull Giotto away and into a darker corner of the balcony. There, Giotto found himself sitting on the very seat that he had sat on during his musing conversation with Alaude.

_If she accepts me, I'll take her to Japan. We'll get away from all of this. The whole Famiglia can get away from everything._

"I'm a selfish person, Giotto!" You declare suddenly. There was a hint of pride, smothered by anguish in your declaration. You didn't want to be a selfish person; you wanted to be free to follow your dreams. You wanted to save lives, not take lives as your father had commanded you to.

"Giotto, do you understand what I'm saying? I hired a man to kill my father. I tried to assassinate my own father! And then, that night, I purposefully healed the Vongola subordinates, chose to heal you instead of my father, just so that I could see the expression on his face when he realized that he was being betrayed. He called me...he called me a bitch, and I deserv-..."

You were suddenly in his embrace, settled comfortably in his lap. He raised a glove hand and combed it gently through your hair, and you knew finally that he understood what you were saying, and that he accepted your selfishness...

"You're the least selfish person I should know. I know you saved my life to spite your father, but your eyes when you were doing so...you honestly didn't want me to suffer. You could've killed me; perhaps your father would then turn proud of you for getting rid of his opposition. I don't really understand what you must be going through, because I've had to earn my position in the Mafia, and I've never had a heritage to have to take care of. You amaze me, though, because of how you've withstood his oppression...all these years, it must've hurt." His breath mingled with yours, and you stare into his amber, half lidded gaze. A kindred spirit. The Vongola was a vigilante group; you would not have to take others lives if you went with them. You smile through your tears.

And then his soft lips were upon yours, and you gasped, allowing him entrance to deepen this kiss. His hands held your shoulders firmly but gently against his chest and your tongues danced. As the couples on the dance floor stared into each other's eyes, you were allowed to do the same with a certain blonde haired man you had fallen so badly for.

But of course, your father had to ruin it all.

* * *

"Come here, sweetheart. Come meet the Duke of...of..." Your father was so drunk; he could hardly pronounce the man's name.

Here you were, unwillingly dragged from Giotto's embrace on the balcony to be faced with a man that you had been 'promised to'. The man you were supposed to marry gave you a smug look and looked you up and down, eyes lingering on the zipper of your dress. You shudder and back away, but your father was having none of it. He forcefully grabbed your wrist and all but threw you into the man's embrace, chuckling drunkenly.

"Be sure to have lots of grandchildren to continue on the bloodline!" He toasted to your engagement, raising his cup high into the air. And you could only watch on helplessly as the Duke of something or another pressed his lips to your hand and gave you the most sickly sweet smile he could muster.

"Should we skip the formalities and move on to the bedroom, sweetheart?" He murmured against your skin.

_No. This can't be happening. This can't be! _When you said you were going to play Juliet, you never knew that your wish would come true in such a sickeningly realistic manner.

The man wrapped his arms around your waist, fingers trailing over your back, and that's when you snapped. Screaming and struggling, you tear yourself out of his embrace and run blindly backwards. When he lashes out to grab you by your wrist once more, you kick him viciously in the chest, bile rising up in your throat. You didn't want to...hurt...anyone...

"HEY!" Someone was in front of you in an instant, pulling you behind him. You were about to struggle once more, your mind a haze of horror and fear, until you recognized the fluttering black cape and the warm hand. Letting your hands latch onto his back, you cry into Giotto's cape as he tries to figure out the solution to this problem.

Turns out, there was never really a problem to begin with.

The man you had been 'engaged to' a moment before let out a familiar chuckle, and Giotto could only drop his mouth in surprise.

"D...Daemon! Wh...Why did you...treat her...why are you engaged to her in the first place?" Giotto spluttered. You finally gained enough courage to peek around his shoulder, and you're surprised to find the man you had hired to assassinate your father staring laughingly back at you. You watched with wide eyes as he shifted his form yet again to take on the appearance of the infamous Vongola Mist Guardian.

"I was just teasing, Giotto. And besides, I'm here to finish a job."

Turning, he dove his trident right through your father's chest.

* * *

"You have to admit, Giotto, it was a clever trick." Daemon sat in front of Giotto once more, twirling the new cup in his hand. Giotto shot him a glare, and Daemon let out another peal of nefarious laughter. So this was all a play to Daemon, huh? Giotto had half a mind to rip the mist into pieces so that he could never play such cruel jokes on anyone else in the future. He was only able to calm himself down upon catching sight of the glinting engagement ring on his hand.

"Basically, what I did was spike the drink that your lover's father was so fond of drinking to get him intoxicated. And then, taking the appearance of a young, handsome man, I decided to fool him into signing her away into a marriage contract, underneath the name of the Duke of Montague. He believed me, of course, the idiot. Truthfully, the document stated Giotto, Vongola Primo, but I used my illusions to twist his perceptions. Although, judging from the amount he had drank before my proposal, I wouldn't have had to do anything to make him sign the contract anyway. He seemed keen to get her off his hands. And then I finished the first deal for her by killing him. So, all's well that ends well, right, Giotto?"

Giotto could only let out a sigh. Truthfully, Daemon had cheated the order of things in the Mafia to gain your happiness, and that was something Giotto was willing to accept. The fact that you were engaged to Giotto was all he could ask for.

"Don't think too much on it, Giotto. The Mafia is a tricky bunch anyway. Imagine how you would've felt if it was someone else her father engaged her to." Daemon left the room chuckling once more, in a similar fashion that he did six months ago. Giotto was left to mull over the facts, deciding that Daemon's way of doing things wasn't as decidedly evil as he thought a few minutes ago. If you had been engaged to anyone else, Giotto would've probably had to kill as well.

* * *

~A Few Years Later~

It was already late into the night when Giotto finally rejoined you in the bedroom.

"Being a Vongola Don must be hard, right, Giotto?" His only answer was a weary sigh and a gentle kiss upon your brow. With a small laugh, you place one hand on your abdomen.

"It's gotten better with you leading the medical staff. Less casualties, less paperwork."Giotto grimaced, and you could hear the quiet _'I wish the Mafia wasn't so violent, wasn't so painful'_in his voice. He gently rubbed your back. You leaned into his touch, smiling. With the next piece of news, he would no doubt be distracted from the violent workings of the underground society.

"You're only going to get busier, Giotto."

He looked at you. Your hand was on your stomach, almost protectively. The implications hit him a full minute later. He quickly sat up and gave you an incredulous look. "You're pregnant?"

You hum in confirmation, before looking at him worriedly. "Are you...were you expecting...a...a certain gender?" Giotto looked taken aback, and for a moment you were downright scared of his reaction to the news. What if he really did mind? Would he...would he hate you as well? All your life, you've been unable to live up to your father's standards. Would you be able to live up to Giotto's as well?

Without warning, Giotto pulled you into a fierce kiss. For a moment, you were confused, and he was allowed the upper hand. And then the two of you pulled away from each other, faces red and gasping for breath. Giotto put one hand on your stomach gently and gave you a heart-stopping smile.

"No. Of course not. Although, we'll have to think up names for both...Gosh, me, a father! I-I guess we'll be having a new addition to the Family soon! Hmm, I wonder if I can rope Lampo in to being babysitter...?"

* * *

**A/N: **Thanks to all those who reviewed the Yamamoto chapter: **Autore Raita, shinbei21, anon, xkaiistarx **and **Angela. **

I'm sorry to say that I will be inactive for a little while because I have SATs coming up, so I have to practice to the EXTREME! But afterwards, near the beginning of February, I will start posting more. Thanks so much for all the support you have shown the story, and I hope you guys continue to show support by reviewing, following or favoriting!

Keep the requests coming, people! I will write all of them, I swear! :3 (and I can't believe I'm already almost at fifty reviews...My goal was 20 or something. Thanks, everyone! HAHAH~)

Updated Request List:

Kikyo x Reader (r3d lies)**  
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